Across the Takai Forest
by last place
Summary: Elaborate parties with interesting demons. The Palace in the Southlands reeks of elegance. However, when Team Urameshi arrives for a month long contest, this perfect palace's walls start to crumble. What's hiding underneath? KuramaxOC, HieixOC
1. The Invitation

**SYNOPSIS:**

King Daifuki, ruler of the Southlands, is dying, and in celebration of his retirement, he decides to throw a month long party. He revels his daughter, Itoshi, who he's kept secret all her life, to the awaiting spectators and promises her hand in marriage and the crown to the lucky demon who wins a contest. Team Urameshi, who accepted the invitation as a vacation, gladly attends the party. But, strange things are happening. Kurama is sick, and it's not just a common cold. Hiei is getting ogled at by the princess, but wants nothing to do with her. And even Yukina, whose care-free smile brightens everyone's day, seems to be falling apart. Not to mention the strange black outs, or the dead bodies found throughout the castle (which won't happen for a while). The even turns out to be exactly what the Urameshi Team was taking a break from.

**Okay, so it's slow at the beginning and focusing on the OC for a bit, but it'll get better, I promise. I'm terrible at starting beginnings.**

**ENJOY!  
**

* * *

Who would she be when she stepped out of the chambers that'd held her captive all her life? The dark Makai sun only greeted her when it was at a window, and the faces she saw were only those close to her father. Even stories that her mother told her when she was young were only about the Southlands and their glory. She knew of a world beyond her own, but she was trapped; locked in her home by her parents and those who "cared" about her. They didn't care. She was nothing more than a trophy to be paraded around at the end of the day. Southland subjects, even townsfolk who lived a step away from the castle, had no idea what she looked like, and she had no idea about them.

Her older sister was looking for a husband when she was her age, so why couldn't she? Why did she have to be the delicate flower that her father never wanted to let go of?

She wasn't precious or perfect, and from what she's seen of the world—at least her world—no one was perfect. She wasn't even frail, she'd been fencing since she was a child and knew how to wield a sword better than most of the guards. In fact, thanks to her mother's blood, she could heal her wounds in seconds. But, she was still locked behind the grey stone walls, waiting for her chance to be set free.

She heard her father before he got to her door. His footsteps boomed in her ears as he made his way down the corridor to her room. For such an old man, his feet were heavy. Moments later, the locks outside of her door clicked open and her father stepped into the room.

King Daifuki—King of the Southlands of Makai. No other king or state man dared to cross him or his people. His constant need for perfection and keeping the Southlands glorified led other rulers of Makai to fear him. After six thousand years of ruling the Southlands, his black beard had turned white and his blue eyes became a dull gray. He was once quite a sight to behold—strong, proud and stable, but he shriveled up and seemed to be dying slowly. He wobbled over to his daughter, touching the black hair that fell down to her waist.

"Itoshi," he muttered, combing his fingers through her hair. "My daughter, I can see you've grown restless. What I've given to you is no longer suiting your taste. What is it you want?"

"I want what Sachi has. I want to live my own life and be free. How am I ever supposed to be happy if I stare out a window all day?" Itoshi yanked her head from her father's feeble fingers. "What are you so afraid of? "

The king rested himself against the wall, letting his sagging cheek rub against the cold stone. "I'm not afraid. I'm old, Itoshi—six thousand and fifty years old. I am the oldest demon known to have walked the lands of Makai, and yet I still cannot find the words to explain why I have kept you locked away...I sometimes wonder if I'm losing my mind."

Itoshi glanced down at her feet. No matter how much she despised him, he was still her father. "You can't be losing your mind," she muttered. "You've been ruling for so long. And who will take your place? Not Sachi—her husband isn't fit to be King. And I—well, I don't know anything about Makai. And all my siblings died years ago."

The king winced at the idea of losing all his children. They were born hundreds of years ago, some of them hundreds of years apart, and he lost _all_ of them, except Itoshi and Sachi. He didn't understand why he'd been chosen by the God's or fate to live so long, but it was his greatest curse. His body finally started catching up with his age, though. And when Itoshi was born thirty years ago, he was more than pleased to have some sort of legacy that didn't marry a _beggar_.

The silence pained Itoshi—her entire life had been surrounded by it. "Why are you here, father? Do you have something to tell me, or have you just come to remind that your old? I can see that," she snapped, brushing her hair from her eyes.

"No," the King mumbled and made his way toward Itoshi's bed. She turned in her seat to face him. "I have come here because, Itoshi, it is time for you to grow up. You can no longer stand sitting in your room all day, and I can barely stand. After a few weeks of studying and preparing, you will find a mate and be crowned queen."

Itoshi suddenly stood up and took a step toward her father. "I can go outside of these walls? To find my husband?"

"No," King Daifuki shook his head. His lifeless eyes gazed up at his young daughter. "There will be a party, a sort of contest that will help you pick a suitable husband, so you don't make the same mistake as your sister. The party will be greater than any in Makai, to celebrate your coronation--and my retirement. Because, my dear, dear daughter, I am dying."

* * *

Kuwabara pushed through the crowd of drunks singing and wailing at each other. He hated bars, but Kuwabara still found himself in one to meet up with Yusuke. The congestion and noise drove him up the wall, especially when he gets fondled accidently or a whiff of a drunkard's breath. He dodged a flailing arm and a falling man, but there was still no sign of the Spirit detective.

"Oy, Kuwabara!" someone called over the crowd. Kuwabara strained his neck to find Yusuke sitting next to someone wrapped up in a scarf and hat. The stranger swirled the whiskey around in his glass, and barely looked up when Kuwabara sat down.

"Urameshi," Kuwabara whined. "Did you have to meet here? It smells terrible, like someone threw up!"

Suddenly, the stranger began coughing, doubling over as his cough got worse. It took him a few moments to stop and sit back up, pulling the scarf farther over his face. Two green eyes watered as he let a few spurts of coughs go until he was finally silent again.

"What's your problem?" Kuwabara leaned closer to the man, trying to figure out who it was.

"Don't get so close," the man mumbled. His voice, although horse and raspy, was familiar—too familiar. "I hate this body. It gets sick whenever I go to Makai, and it gets worse when I come back."

"Is that--" Kuwabara waited for Yusuke or the man to answer, but neither of them did. "Kurama!" he practically shouted and pulled Kurama's hat off. Long, red hair layered out from under the hat. Before Kurama could stop him, Kuwbara threw his arms around him.

"How long has it been, Kurama? Don't tell me the last time I saw you was my wedding--damn, that was over a year ago! How have you been?"

Kurama grinned under the scarf and touched Kuwabara's arm. "You're going to get sick, you might want to move away. And yes, it's been a year."

"Imagine that," Kuwabara gazed at the red head in awe. "A year."

A few years prior, after Hiei set permanent home at Mukuro's, Kurama lived with Kuwabara for a while until he got his life organized. Although no one knew why, Kurama seemed to be falling apart as the days went by. Finally, Kurama decided to start his own business in Makai, aiding demons who were victims of kidnap, rape or thievery, and since then he'd be more than busy. His entire life revolved around his business, in hopes to make up for all the wrong he'd caused others and lift his heavy conscious--at least that was the theory. Even at Kuwabara and Yukina's wedding, Kurama was distracted talking to his assistant or sneaking paperwork to the bathroom. And when Yusuke confronted him about it, Kurama denied everything and proceeded to apologize that he had to leave.

Kurama yanked the scarf tighter around his mouth, trying to force down a sneeze. He examined Kuwabara a minute, smiling to himself. Kuwabara looked even better than he did at the wedding. His skin was glowing and his smile, which always seemed a bit crooked, was much brighter than normal. Overall, Kuwabara seemed to radiate amongst the drunks and humans around him, even Yusuke. Kurama glanced over at Yusuke, and before he could stop it, memories started to flood his mind. His thoughts tortured him, reliving the moments over and over again. He wanted to cry out, scream, ask Yusuke for help--but he couldn't feel his body. Suddenly, he sneezed, yanking him from the journey into his mind's Hell.

"You alright, Kurama?" Yusuke tilted his head, eyeing the nearly empty pitcher of beer in front of him. He shook his empty glass, figuring out whether he should have another or not. The room was already spinning, but he decided one more glass wouldn't hurt.

"Yeah," Kurama muttered. "I never sneeze when I'm in my original body—human's can be so fragile."

Kuwabara opened his mouth, ready to protest, when Yusuke interrupted him. "Kuwabara, did you get the invitation from the Southlands? They sent one for each of us and Koenma got them because, well, it's nearly impossible to send messages from Makai to Ningenkai."

"Yeah," Kuwbara beamed. "Yukina already has everything packed. When are we leaving, again?"

"Tomorrow," Kurama said, clutching the scarf.

"To-tomorrow!?" Kuwabara jumped up, nearly knocking the table over. "Oh man, I thought it was in a week. Why does no one tell me anything? I have to call in work and cancel all my appointments—crap, and I was supposed to get my haircut in a few days for the party."

"Sit," Yusuke demanded. "You have plenty of time to call. This is the first time you're seeing Kurama in a year and we're going on a _vacation _tomorrow. You should be excited. Have a beer."

Well, at least that's what he wanted to say. Instead, his slur caused his speech to come out as a drunken ramble. Kuwabara, although he understood the gist of it, stared at Yusuke blankly.

"Whaa?" Yusuke's body tilted slightly foreword, until he caught himself. "Do I-gotsumting--in my teeth?"

As if scripted, Kuwabara and Kurama started laughing at the exact same moment. Yusuke stared at the two as their laughter grew louder. He didn't see what was so funny about his speech, and he certainly didn't do anything funny—right? He sighed and shook his head, not stopping until the two relaxed. When his head was straight again, the room seemed to keep whirling.

"I think we should all get some rest," Kurama finally said after his laughter died down. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day. The journey from the newly opened portal to the Southlands is several hours. Besides, I'm sick and exhausted. Hiei is waiting for me at the hotel, since I haven't seen him in a while either—if you guys want to come."

"Hell yeah!" Yusuke stood up, only to stumble backwards and bang into the wall. He chuckled to himself and stood up, using his chair a support. He followed a sniffling Kurama out of the bar.

Kuwabara stood up and glanced around, only to find the room was full of foul-smelling strangers. "Hey, wait for me!" he shouted at the vanished Kurama and Yusuke. Suddenly, the entire room fell silent and everyone's heads turned to face him. Kuwabara chuckled nervously, apologized and ran out the door after the two boys.

* * *

"The dress is beautiful," Anakii smiled down at Itoshi. "You look like your sister."

Itoshi stared at her reflection, fingering the fabric on her hips. The dress fit her shape perfectly, hugging and extenuating her curves. Even the red color contrasted with her ivory skin perfectly. The dress _was_ beautiful, yet Itoshi didn't feel it. She was just a trophy for the men to win and eye candy for everyone else. Her father calls it the unveiling of his daughter, although Itoshi felt more like a statue. None of the men cared about who she was, but about her status and who _they _could be.

Then again, she didn't even know who she was.

"Thank you," she gazed at her reflection.

From her father's chambers to her new husband's bed—she was going to be a prisoner all her life. And the dress was her handcuffs. She tried desperately to see the positive in the situation that maybe she would actually meet her perfect mate, but somehow she doubted it. Already her and her mystery mate's love was based on a want for power. They didn't want _her_, they didn't even know what she looked like.

And they wouldn't turn their back when she stepped out to the balcony and greeted them because, like Anakii said, the dress was beautiful. She couldn't fathom how gorgeous she looked, and her potential mates would want her even more. Power and sex…that's what they would want.

Itoshi gripped the fabric tighter, yearning to tear off the dress and jump out the window. But, her death would not make anyone's life easier. And her sister and that terrible man she married would rule Southland, and it would be chaos. No, Itoshi _had_ to do this. No matter how much she didn't want to, her father's—her kingdom relied on her.

Besides, when she is made queen, she could explore Makai…If her husband lets her.

* * *

**If anyone knows if there was originally a ruler in the southern part of Makai, let me know. I know Mukuro has Northeastern, but I can't remember anyone else. Thanks.**

**Oh, and in case you were wondering, there are the usual pairings (YusukexKeiko and KuwabaraxYukina). The other pairings...well, you'll have to find that out ;]  
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	2. Beauty in the Southlands

"Who knew Makai could be so beautiful?" Keiko sighed, leaning her head out the carriage window. When Yusuke first told her about the party, she wasn't sure if she wanted to go. Been to one party in Makai, been to them all—bloody and excruciatingly boring. A contest meant a fight to the death, and she'd already seen enough of those for her life time. But, Yusuke swore it was different this time. According to Koenma, it would be like medieval Europe in Ningenkai—or something like that--which Keiko figured meant some sort of battle or bloody mess. She figured it was better than one of the never ending fights to the death.

But this? She never expected trees to be so spectacular. Almost every tree was twice the width of the carriage and quadruple the height. Leaves and branches surrounded the pathway, engulfing the carriage in flames of purple and lilac. Even the sky, which normally was darkened and dismal, seemed to light up under the dim Makai sun. It was a dream world, the place all fairy tales were based in, the land far, far, away. To Keiko's amazement, a white carriage picked them up and was now bringing them to a palace. Sure, the carriage was a bit small, and it wasn't drawn by horses, but yellow lizards were good enough.

"Do you come here a lot?" she turned to her cramped friends.

"I've been here a few times," Kurama locked his eyes on the floor. He scratched his runny nose and dug out the scarf from inside his coat pocket. The cold wasn't as bad, but he still felt like he was falling apart. "I used to come with Yomi. He and King Daifuki got along well, but I guess everyone got along well with him."

"Or maybe they were scared," Hiei answered.

"Yes, that too. He has the most powerful army in Makai, but also a lot of respect. He's been around a long time. His basic premise is he doesn't touch others lands if they don't touch his," Kurama pushed his back against the seat, trying to straighten his posture. His body ached, and he gave in and hunched over, coughing slightly.

Hiei eyed the people surrounding him. He'd known them for five years, and he still trusted only half of them. Kuwabara and his sister, his precious sister. It disgusted him that she would choose such an oaf, but his opinion didn't matter much. She still had no idea who he was, and he planned to keep it that way.

"We're here!" Keiko practically jumped out of her seat through the window. "Oh wow."

The castle came into view over the leaves, shinning in the darkened sun like a relic. It's silver bricks glistened, and the windows were larger than life. The wall that surrounded it towered over the tiny homes spread around the palace. Figures of tiny guards on the walls became more prominent as the carriage got closer, along with the line of guests waiting in line to be escorted into the palace.

Hiei had only been to the castle once in his life. Twenty-five years ago, before he met Kurama and the rest of the team, his thievery and murderous rampages were at their peak. It didn't matter who owned the riches or what threat they held against him, Hiei would smuggle everything he could. Anytime he was caught, the demon wouldn't even have the chance to take another breath.

But twenty-five years ago, when Hiei snuck into Kind Daifuki's palace, something changed. He was in the courtyard, clutching the priceless vase that was kept protected at almost all hours. Right before he could make a clean escape, a young girl walked into the courtyard rubbing her eyes. He was ready to kill her, his hand was on his hilt, but she tilted her head and asked him why he came.

The little girl, with her big golden eyes, waited intently for Hiei to make his next move, but he couldn't. He knew he needed to kill her, or flee immediately, but his body wouldn't budge. When she asked his name, he demanded she leave before he killed her. In his criminal peak, he never once threatened someone, they'd be dead already.

"I won't tell," she told him. "I promise. They would think I was crazy anyway."

With that, the strange little girl turned around and dragged her feet through the waiting door. Hiei placed the vase on the ground and fled the palace, trying to shake off the vision of little girl's eyes.

Hiei wondered if she'd be at the castle still as they pulled up near the line of guests. He figured she was a servant's daughter, or someone visiting. She obviously didn't realize he didn't belong in the castle. The carriage stopped and the doors immediately opened, allowing the crowded bunch freedom.

"It feels good to walk!" Kuwabara threw his hands behind his head and chuckled as he strolled around in a circle. "Urameshi was squashing my leg."

"Maybe it's because you're a giant lump!" Yusuke yelled, grabbing his and Keiko's bags off the top of the carriage.

"Nani!?" Kuwabara yanked his own bag off. "I'll show you a giant lump!"

Before he could thump Yusuke on the head, the wall's giant oak door creaked open. The line fell silent and stared as the opening got larger until a small man stumbled to greet the crowd.

He bowed his head, glancing up after a few moments. "Good afternoon, I'm glad to see so many of you have made it early!" he voice echoed across the grounds as he wobbled closer to the crowd. "If you could please form a straight line and present your tickets one by one, it would be much appreciated. Thank you all, again, for coming. King Daifuki, the Queen and their daughter shall greet you inside the castle."

With that, he was gone.

A murmur rolled through the crowd as the line started to get shorter. Yusuke glanced down at his invitation and then at his watch. He hated waiting in lines. He could train for years on end, but he couldn't tolerate waiting on a line for anything.

"Has anyone seen Koenma?" he asked, glancing up at his friends. They shook their heads, but that was all the response he got.

"What's on your mind?" Kurama turned his back from the group, hoping to catch Hiei in a private moment. Ever since they entered the Southlands, Hiei's body had become tense and frigid. Kurama knew when something was bothering Hiei, even before Hiei knew it. He figured that's why they were so close; they knew each other inside and out.

"Hn," Hiei shifted his eyes away from Kurama. "I don't see you for a year and you're wondering what's on my mind?"

"I know you're not mad at me," Kurama grinned under his scarf.

Hiei's eyes snapped and made contact with Kurama's. He waited for Kurama to move, flinch—do anything. But the red-head stood perfectly still. Even in his sick human body, Kurama still managed to maintain his grace. Stupid fox, he always read him too well for Hiei's comfort.

"Why are you still in that body?" Hiei snapped. "You're a wreck."

Kurama sighed and shook his head. Hiei was stubborn, but he would break eventually. He always did.

* * *

The inside of the palace was even more magnificent than the outside. Keiko grasped Yusuke's hand as soon as they set foot inside. The walls seemed to go on forever, but they eventually led to a hanging chandelier that was only there for decoration. Keiko had gone a lot of places with Yusuke, but she had never been in any sort of structure as breathing taking as this.

"Do you know which ones the King?" Yusuke turned to Kurama.

"The older looking man, sitting between the elder woman and the girl—sitting on the throne—in the front of the line--greeting everyone," Kurama nodded towards King Daifuki.

Without a warning, he sneezed, bending over and grasping his face. His body shuttered as he stood up as straight as he could. Whatever pain he's experienced in his life (Being stabbed, nearly blown to pieces, etc.), didn't compare to the Hell of a cold.

"You should really do something about that cold," Yusuke muttered.

Kurama ignored the statement and grazed the scarf off his face. He stuffed it in his coat pocket and glanced down at Hiei, who was intently staring straight.

"Stop looking at me," he snapped without turning his head. Kurama grinned and combed his hair between his fingers. He wasn't planning to participate in the contest, he couldn't anyway, but he _was_ seeing King Daifuki again and meeting his family.

"Kurama! It's good to see you!" a voice chirped from behind. Kurama turned to face the teenage Koenma, who had strangely taken the pacifier from his lips. Botan and the blue ogre, George, were behind him, waving.

Almost immediately, everyone surrounding Hiei broke into enthusiastic hellos. He thanked that he was normally this anti-social, or else he'd have to attempt to be chipper when everything in his body ached. It wasn't a pain; it was a yearning to leave. Something is off, he thought to himself. The place, although he'd only been there once, seemed _too_ familiar, like he'd had dreams about it.

As they got closer to the thrones, Hiei's instincts got louder. He could practically smell the riches engulfing the three standing in a few people in front of him. The King would know him from the Dark Tournament, the reason he was invited, but what if someone recognized him? Panic, an unfamiliar feeling, started to crawl up Hiei's legs. He followed the group and took a few more steps and realized he was standing in front of the three.

"Ah!" King Daifuki boomed. "Team Urameshi! Your fights in the Dark Tournament were some of the best I've ever seen. I'm glad you all could make it. And you brought more guests, too. The more the merrier!"

The King was much less frightening than Hiei pictured him. His leathery skin bounced as he spoke, his grey beard jiggled as he breathed, and his booming voice was hoarse. In fact, there was nothing intimidating about the man at all. Even the two horns that stuck out of his forehead seemed shriveled and harmless. Hiei snickered at the thought of other ruler's being afraid of such an old man.

He addressed everyone individually and introduced himself to the people he'd never met. When he came upon Hiei, his reaction to seeing him was no different than his reaction to anyone else. Although it should've brought Hiei comfort, he could still feel his insides crawling.

"Hiei, I have heard some stories about you!" the King laughed, his smile delightful. "Like how you've come so far from being the most wanted criminal to working closely with Koenma. It's admirable, your courage and strength to change."

"Thank you," Hiei answered flatly.

The King ignored Hiei's rudeness and addressed the group. "Now, I'd like you all to meet my daughter, Princess Itoshi," he held his hand out. She took it and stood up, smiling at the group in front of her.

She was beautiful. Everything about her. Her black hair braided down her back, her skin was dewy, and her golden eyes popped out. There was barely any resemblance of her father, but she bore a striking resemblance to her mother, who was at the King's arm. They both had black ears sticking from the top of their heads and lean figures that seemed to extend forever—although they were both shorter than Hiei.

Her beauty troubled Hiei, but that wasn't the only thing. He knew those eyes, he'd seen them before twenty-five years ago. And if she recognized him, he would be killed on the spot…or thrown out, which he wouldn't have minded at all.

She greeted each member of the group and finally, her eyes landed on Hiei.

"Good afternoon," Princess Itoshi purred.

As her eyes locked his, something struck her memory. Although she couldn't quite pull the pieces together, she knew she'd seen him before. She shook her head and figured it was de ja vous from a dream, because he'd never been to the castle according to her father and she—well, that's obvious. The two bowed toward each other, but neither dropped the eye contact.

There was no doubt in her mind as she stood up straight again. She'd met Hiei before. Although she didn't know when, where or why, she knew she had. Her mother once told her that once you meet someone, you never really forget their face. Even if their name or any other details escape you, their face will always be implanted.

"Good afternoon," Hiei grumbled. She was staring at him, watching him. What did she know? What did she remember?

As the group was guided away from the three by a guard, Hiei stole a look at the Princess, only to see that she had never taken her eyes off him.


	3. Wrong Turn

**Hi! I'd love to hear your feedback, so it'd be awesome if you could tell me what you think, give some ideas, or even some critiques. Thanks!**

* * *

Kurama didn't feel up to partying. While everyone in the room mingled and dance, Kurama found himself hiding in the corner next to Hiei. The two were silent, just watching the rest of the party have a good time. Kurama wasn't much of a wall flower, but his human body was aching. Before the first night of the party started, he had tried several times to transform to Youko. No matter how hard he tried, though, there was a barrier separating his two selves that he couldn't seem to break. It'd been like this for more than a year, and Kurama couldn't figure out why. And he didn't dare tell anyone else.

"You look pale," Hiei said.

"What?" Kurama glanced down at the fire demon.

"I said, you look pale. More than usual."

Kurama chuckled and pushed his hair from his eyes. "Yeah, it's probably the cold." "How long have you had this _cold_?"

Truthfully, Kurama had no idea. Half the time, he didn't have the symptoms and he felt fine, but he had gotten more than twenty colds over the past year--more than he's had in his life. His assistant, Feiku, had this fantastic cold remedy that would completely wipe any symptoms away, but recently its affects were wearing off. Every time Kurama got a cold, his body felt worse and worse.

"A couple of days," Kurama shrugged. "I had one a few weeks back, and a few weeks before that, too. It's just stress."

"Baka," Hiei spat. "That's not a cold." Kurama shook his head. He'd thought about that himself, too, but he'd been to several doctors in Ningenkai and Makai, and they all said it was nothing to worry about. No matter how many colds he'd gotten, there was nothing _wrong_ with his body, he just was stuck with the nuisance cold. Some doctors did agree it was stress, and others suggested it was allergies. Whatever it was, Kurama craved Feiku's remedy.

"It must be. There's no other explanation."

"Maybe your body is telling you its time to make a permanent change back to Youko," Hiei suggested. "You're spending most of your time in Makai, anyway."

"It's not that easy to just permanently transform," Kurama pointed out. "You know that. It'll take years of practice and discipline--time I don't have."

Hiei rolled his eyes. "You're a work-a-holic."

"Oy, you two!" Yusuke ran over before Kurama could retaliate. "What are you doing? There are so many people that want to meet you. They keep talking about how you kicked ass in the Dark Tournament."

"Hn."

"I--" Kurama wasn't sure why no part of him wanted to meet the noble men and women strung through the crowd. Most of him, if not all of him, wanted to pass out and fall fast asleep for days on end. But, he knew that wasn't who he was or who anyone else knew him as. He finally answered, "Okay, I'm coming. Just give me a minute."

Yusuke turned his back and weaved through the crowd, disappearing behind a couple dancing. Kurama turned to Hiei, smiling.

"What are you so happy about? You were miserable a moment ago."

"Come on," Kurama beckoned the fire demon and they followed Yusuke's trail, searching through the hundreds of faces for him. Finally, Kurama spotted him off in the distance talking to Koenma and King Daifuki.

The two walked up to Yusuke and Kurama put on his best smile. Every part of his body was in much worse pain than before, but he decided to grin and bear it. He'd been through a lot worse than a cold, after all. If it even was a cold--he shook his head to himself, of course it was. What else could it be if several doctors couldn't figure it out?

"I'm glad you've come, Kurama," the King's wrinkly hand patted Kurama's shoulder. "How is Yomi doing? I tried to send him an invitation, but he never got back to me. And no one seems to know where he is, not even Shura."

"I'm not even sure where he is," Kurama answered. "It's been years since I've last seen him, and from what I heard, he's taking a sort of vacation."

The King nodded, his lifeless eyes suddenly lit up with understanding. "I don't blame him!" He turned to Hiei, who was eyeing the wall on his right.

"What about Mukuro, Hiei? Do you know why she hasn't come?"

"She doesn't like parties," he said.

"And what a shame that is!" the King chuckled. He turned away from the group for a few moments and let out an "Ah!"

The Princess, who was passing by at the moment, stopped when her father spoke. She glanced at the group of guys she was with, recognizing them from earlier. Their names escaped her, except Koenma's, but her father was calling--she had to blindly answer.

"Hello," she sang, nodding at the group.

"Hello, Princess!" Koenma chirped, holding his hand out. She gave him her hand and he kissed the top of it softly. "Might I say you look lovely tonight?"

Hiei and Kurama exchanged glances as Yusuke tried to hold back his laughter. As soon as the Princess turned to her father, Koenma shot Yusuke a threatening glare, warning him to keep his mouth shut. Although he hadn't told anyone, Koenma was planning on entering the contest for the Princess's hand. She was beautiful, delicate and Koenma was more than thrilled at the idea of becoming Southland's newest king, instead of having to do paperwork all day.

"Father, I'm exhausted," Itoshi whispered to the King.

Without answering, he raised his eyebrows. She immediately pursed her lips and looked back at the group.

Her eyes fell upon Hiei.

"Have I met you somewhere?" she asked. "Have you ever been to the castle, I mean."

The King suddenly started to cackle. "What? No, he's never been here."

"I've never been here," Hiei repeated, avoiding eye contact.

Her foggy memory was the only thing allowing him to stay in the castle, or keep his life. Even if the guards couldn't catch him, the King had some of his highest generals in the room, waiting for any signs of danger or threats. The generals, from the stories Hiei had heard, weren't demons to be messed with. They kept the Southland's reputation of strength up.

"Maybe you look like someone," the Princess sighed. "Father, I'm going to go find mother."

With that, she disappeared. The King beamed at the group and leaned close. "If you don't mind me saying, she's a little nervous. She's never been around so many people in her life, but she will relax soon. Now, have any of you met General Lotus? He is my top guard and one of my closest friends."

As he led the group through the crowd, Hiei seized the opportunity to hang back and leave. He made his way towards the entrance to one of the corridors that led to his room. No one noticed as he left the room and walked up the flight of stairs.

The hall in front of him was a labyrinth of doors, windows and other corridors. He took a step, trying to remember exactly where his room was. Since he and Kurama didn't bring a guest, they decided to share a room. Well, it was more of Kurama's idea, but Hiei had no objection. He'd stayed in the same room with Kurama multiple times and the red-head was a deep, quiet sleeper that let Hiei have his peace. Besides, although he'd never admit it, Hiei wanted to keep his eye on Kurama and that cold--or so he called it.

He turned down a corridor and stopped suddenly. Princess Itoshi greeted him around the corner, surprised herself at his entrance.

"Wrong turn," he murmured. Before he could speed off, she touched his hand. Her touch electrocuted his skin, causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand up. All his life, he was rarely ever touched, unless it was during a fight. Yet, there were her finger tips, placed delicately on his hand. And a part of him felt--comforted--by it. He yanked his arm away and glared at her hand.

"Where do you need to go?" she gazed at him.

She smelt like the vanilla pies Keiko always made whenever Hiei visited. He was suddenly intoxicated by the scent, forgetting who he was for a moment. Her golden eyes waited for his answer, but he just stared at them, breathing in her scent.

"Your name is Hiei, right?"

His name snapped him from the hypnosis.

"Hn."

"Well, where are you trying to go?"

"I can find it myself," he snapped, turning away from the Princess and going back to the main corridor.

His stubbornness never ceased to surprise even himself. After spending years bouncing from Makai to Ningenkai, he began to wonder if he was _softening _up. Even Mukuro had pointed out he was different from when he first came to her. Long ago, there was always someone new to betray him, or for him to betray. But now--he couldn't remember the last time he felt abandoned. In fact, he started to feel he belonged somewhere. It nauseated him.

"Wait!" her voice was delicate, too sweet to be a demon's.

Hiei stopped in his tracks. He heard her tiny feet dance across the floor. Regret overwhelmed him for stopping as her small figure came into view. Her thin lips pursed as they made eye contact. Obviously she'd never been so ill-treated. She was a princess, after all. Hiei was sure all who met her clung to even the tiniest breath she took. She must've been pampered, spoiled--and he couldn't tolerate it.

He wasn't some play thing for her to manipulate, he wouldn't jump when she said jump, or dance when she told him to. No matter what happened when she was little, he wasn't under her control. If she threatened him, he would deny it. He refused to let her memories as a child push him up against the wall. He decided if she figured out who he was, he would flee again. Simple as that. There was no need to be afraid of her or the guards.

He smirked to himself. He felt like he was the stubborn, untrusting, paranoid him again.

"If you're looking for your room, all the rooms are in the direction you were headed before."

"I wasn't," Hiei lied.

"Oh, well then where are you going?"

She asked too many questions. Even the giant oaf didn't ask so many questions. There weren't a lot of spoiled demons in Makai to Hiei's knowledge, but this girl topped all of them. Her irritating questioning and her _touching_. Even when she'd caught him when she was young, she asked too much. Couldn't she see that he wanted nothing to do with her? He wouldn't follow her around like a mindless puppy or succumb to her seductive atmosphere.

He glared at her, waiting for her to get the message. She just sighed and leaned against the wall, making it obvious that she wouldn't leave. They held eye contact for a few moments and finally she broke the silence.

"I know I've seen you before. I just--can't figure out where."

Baka. How bad he yearned to grab her hair all tell her to get lost.

"It's your eyes. I know your eyes."

Her idiotic, questioning look burrowed into the depths of his hate.

"And the way you walk. I can't explain it. Are you sure we haven't met?"

"Yes," Hiei snarled. "I'm going to my room."

He turned on his heel and left her behind him as he made his way for his room--wherever it was.

Itoshi kept her distance from the strange boy, but watched him walk down the hall. She stayed frozen as he got farther away, not wanting him to leave her sight. He was different from the other guests downstairs. When she caught his eye contact, his fiery stare nearly threw her off her feet, yet it intrigued her. It wasn't this actual eyes but the way he looked at her that reminded her of…wherever she knew him from.

He suddenly stopped walking and looked over his shoulder. Even in the distance, she could see his eyes vividly. They narrowed as the two held eye contact. What was he doing? She knew that there were some odd people in Makai, and in every world, but he was stranger than anyone she could've made up in her own imagination. He seemed to be threatening her, telling her to stop staring at him, yet he was staring at her.

Hypocrisy is an ugly thing, her mother always told her. If someone wants you to treat them a certain way, they must do the same. Otherwise, they're hypocrites.

This boy, Hiei, obviously wanted to be left alone, but he hadn't budged since they made eye contact. She wanted to shout, ask him why he was staring, but she was afraid of the response. In fact, there was something frightening about him. She met him, but she didn't know from where and he refused to tell her. He was _too_ mysterious, more than a stranger should be.

Yet, she wanted to solve him, figure him out, examine him…learn who he was from his toes to that strange bandana.

"Princess!" someone bellowed. She snapped her head to see Anakii running up the stairs, holding her dress above her feet. "Everyone is waiting for you. Apparently, your father wants you to address the crowd and thank them."

"Again?" Itoshi moaned.

"Yes. What were you doing out here anyway? Let's go."

Before Itoshi followed Anakii down the steps, she glanced down the hallway where Hiei was. He'd vanished, leaving Itoshi feeling defeated. Soon, she told herself, she'd understand him and he'd understand her--not look down upon her.

Hiei opened the door to his room and leaned his head against the wall.

Visions of Itoshi as a child poured into his mind, reminding him over and over how she had been the one lucky creature who didn't fall victim to Hiei's sword. And it came to bite him in the ass. His hand still tingled from where her skin had met his. She didn't seem to hinder or wince at his glare. He knew that his cruel aura weakened, but the feeble princess didn't even flinch…

Maybe--she wasn't as fragile as she put out to be.


	4. Sinking

**So, somethings actually happening this chapter. I know it's taken a while, but it'll all start falling into place. **

**Like I said before, let me know what you think. Thanks!  
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"So let me get this straight," Yusuke stared down at baby Koenma, who was pacing back and forth on Kuwabara's bed. "_You_ are going to enter in this contest, try to somehow make it through, win the princess's heart, then live happily ever after and never do paperwork again?"

"Yes," Koenma beamed.

Yusuke clamped a hand over his mouth, trying his best not to crack up. "You--are going to enter--a contest?"

"It's not a _tournament_, if that's what your thinking. I won't have to fight anyone," Koenma pointed out, ignoring Yusuke's failed attempts to hide his laughter. "It's more of a…who will be a better king contest. And well, since my father _is_ King Enma, I have a plethora of experience!"

"I wonder how she'll feel when she wakes up sleeping next to a baby," Kuwabara muttered to Yusuke, his entire body shaking from holding in his laughter too. The two men stood in front of Koenma, snickering amongst themselves, until Koenma picked up a book from Yukina's luggage and slammed it against the wall.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" he shouted, yanking both boy's collars. He pulled them down to his level and glanced from one to the other. "I can fire you both in seconds and kick your butts out of this castle!"

"I don't even work for you!" Kuwabara whined.

"Yeah, and you need me," Yusuke chimed in. "Because you can't fight off demons--when your so tiny."

Before they could stop themselves, the two started laughing, flailing their bodies in fits of hysteria. Koenma's vein in his temple started to pulse as the volume of their voices got louder.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" he shouted.

The room's door swung open. Keiko, Yukina and Botan appeared in the doorway, giggling to themselves as they walked in. Almost immediately, the two boys stopped their cackling and stared at the girls.

"We could hear you from down the hall," Yukina giggled. Kuwabara immediately threw his arm around her shoulder, beaming. Obviously, he wasn't embarrassed by his loud mouth--and Yukina was perfectly fine with that.

Keiko, on the other hand, wasn't. "Yusuke, we're invited to this spectacular castle, and all you do is yell obnoxiously! Have some courtesy and act like your age for once," she grabbed his ear. Everyone watched in amusement as she dragged Yusuke out of the room. He protested behind her, whining about how his ear felt like it was falling off.

"When I find a mate," Koenma looked at Botan. "Make sure she doesn't grab my ear. It looks painful!"

Botan giggled and bent close to Koenma. "Koenma-sama, George asked me to come and get you. Your father said you _have_ to go to bed your normal hours, no matter what--unless the contest requires you not to."

Koenma yanked his pacifier from his mouth. "I hate bed time!" he announced, jumped off the bed and walked out of the room.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" Botan waved bye to Yukina and Kuwabara and followed Koenma out.

"Now that they're gone," Kuwbara moved his hand from Yukina's shoulder to her waist. "You want to?"

Yukina giggled and glanced up at her beaming husband. She knew she wanted to be with him the moment his voice came into her mind when she was imprisoned by Tarukane, promising her he'd save her. Even if he got some help, he kept his promise and hasn't broken any since.

"Of course!"

Kuwabara climbed onto the bed and stood up, beckoning her to follow. He helped her up and as soon as he kissed her forehead, they started to jump up and down on the bed, laughing the whole time.

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He was alone in a dark room, searching for the light switch. There was no panic, no threat, he was just looking for too long. He figured maybe there _wasn't_ a way to turn the light on, so he slouched against the wall and slid down. It took him a moment to figure out why his back was suddenly drenched. He wasn't sure why he hadn't noticed the pungent odor before--it was practically tearing up the inside of his nose. His fingers were shaking as he brought his hands up to his nose and mouth.

When he took a step back, his foot splashed in more of the liquid flooding the room. He wanted to throw up, the odor got so bad. The blood inched up his feet, crawling up to his calves. He tried to move, but his body was useless and stiff. As he walked through the blood, his wobbling knees gave way and he collapsed into pool of blood. All at once, his mouth filled with the fluid. It seeped into every crevice of his body. No matter how far he swam, the blood was never ending. He tried to scream, but only let more blood down his throat.

He would die in the bloody grave, nauseous, frightened and alone. Would they find his body? How did he even get in there?

Suddenly, an arm reached through the blood and grabbed his hand, yanking him out. After coughing up as much of the blood as he could, he turned to thank his mysterious savior. His savior hung behind the shadows, masking their face. He called out, asking who it was. Kurama took a step towards the stranger, only to have the stranger reach through the darkness and run his fingers through Kurama's hair.

"Miss me?" the stranger snickered.

Kurama sat up in bed, wincing as his body protested. Chills ran up and down his spine, yet he was sweating profusely under the covers. He touched the beads running down his cheek, trying to calm his nerves from his dream. He wanted to believe the sweat was from the dream--but he knew it wasn't.

He had a fever.

"Hiei?" Kurama called out in the dark.

"What is it, fox?" Hiei grumbled, turning to face Kurama's bed.

"Do I feel warmer than usual?"

Hiei was instantly at Kurama's side, perching himself on his bed. The fire demon placed a hand on Kurama's arm. The contrast between his and Hiei's skin temperature was so slight, Kurama barely noticed how warm Hiei's skin was.

He _did_ have a fever. Maybe it really wasn't a cold--at least this time.

"Hn."

"I have one, don't I?" Kurama sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Yes," Hiei growled. "I'm turning on the light."

The light nearly blinded Kurama. Hiei stood by his bed, staring at the red-head for a few minutes. The fire demon crossed his bandaged arms, narrowing his eyes towards Kurama. The silence was tense as Kurama struggled to sit up in his bed. His body ached from the fever. His limbs felt like they were splitting open. The last time he had a fever that gave him such pains, his mother had rushed him to the hospital. The nausea he had in his dreams suddenly seeped it's way into reality.

The dream. He'd nearly forgotten about it. He'd had several dreams pertaining to those hands and that more than familiar voice, but this one was worse than the others. It was too realistic. A little more than a year ago, they'd gradually become more realistic. And tonight was the epitome of all of Kurama's hidden fears. The voice was too perfect…

"I'm going to get water," Kurama murmured and stood up. His body swayed, but he caught himself before he fell. He stumbled towards the door, trying his best to stand up straight. He could feel Hiei following him, making sure he didn't fall. Kurama smiled to himself. Hiei could say what he wanted, how he didn't care about anyone, but they were so close that Hiei knew not to ask Kurama if he could get him the water. Determination was one of Kurama's most respected traits, and Hiei knew that.

As he made his way down the corridor, he felt his knees giving way. The feeling, like the nausea, was too familiar. He dug his nails into the wall as he kept going. Water sounded so good at that point, but lying down sounded so much better. Kurama licked his lips, not realizing that he was slowly sinking to the ground.

"Alright, fox," Hiei was suddenly standing in front of him. "Go back to the room. I'll get you water."

Kurama stood up, his body swaying. Before Hiei could disappear, Kurama grabbed his bandaged arm. "Thank you, Hiei," Kurama smiled weakly.

With that, Hiei was gone.

Kurama slid down the wall, crashing to the floor. The cool bricks surrounding him were like heaven on his scalding flesh. No one was around, or they were fast asleep, so Kurama moaned with pleasure as he stretched his limbs across the bricks. Every move he made, the bricks cooled his skin over again.

Suddenly, his stomach twisted and crunched. He grabbed it and tried to stand up, but everything swirled around him. "Shit," he mumbled to himself, clutching his stomach tighter. Kurama suddenly realized he really was totally alone. He could shout, but that would cause too much of a commotion. He needed to stand and go back to his room before he vomited. His nausea got worse as the seconds passed. He closed his eyes and rested his cheek against the wall.

"Master Kurama?" The familiar voice--it was the sweetest sound Kurama ever heard.

"Feiku?" Kurama's eyes fluttered open. His tall assistant bent over and wrapped the red-head's arm around his shoulder. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Where's your room?"

Kurama pointed him in the direction, gazing up at his savior. It didn't matter why Feiku was here, Kurama was just pleased he was. Maybe, while he was here, he could get Kurama a bucket. Kurama asked him as they entered the room. Feiku propped him up in bed and proceeded to bow and nod. "Of course, Master Kurama. I'll be back in two shakes of a lambs tail!"

Kurama shakily grinned as Feiku scurried out of the room. His assistant, although gawky and timid, was extremely reliable. Even when he wasn't working, he somehow rescued Kurama out of yet another rut. After he realized the stress of owning a company, he hired Feiku a little over a year ago. He had an animated smile and was almost _too_ enthusiastic to be working, but Kurama admired that about his assistant.

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Hiei stepped out into the courtyard. Before he'd went to sleep, one of the King's servants told him if he needed water, there was a never-ending well in the courtyard. He'd seen this courtyard too many times in his dream. As he made his way to the well, he felt like he was walking into a dream. Twenty years ago seemed like a fantasy, until he reached the vase. It still sat in the middle of the courtyard, perched on a column for all the palace to see.

He almost expected to turn around and see those two golden eyes staring at him.

"Hn." What was he doing? Kurama was waiting for him, and he was wasting his time fantasizing about an old memory that had no significance in his life.

The well did seem to drop down forever. He guided the bucket down, waiting for the impact.

He sensed her before he saw her. Her scent filled the courtyard, wrapping Hiei in a sort of comfort. Her tiny feet glided across the floor, until she reached the vase. Hiei turned his body, still guiding the bucket down the well.

"If you let the latch go, the bucket will drop faster and you don't have to stand there winding it," the princess pointed towards the brown latch sticking out of the pulley.

Hiei glanced at it, but kept feeding the rope. He didn't need her help, no matter how long it took for the bucket to reach the water. The princess crossed from the vase to a bench nearby and sat down. Her body was angled, too perfect to be a demon's. Her small lips parted, but before she could speak, the bucket finally reached the water.

He began yanking the rope, taking his time. No matter how uncomfortable her presence made him, he wouldn't rush to escape. That would be letting her win. Then, she'd know she had an advantage over him every time she walked in a room. But there had to be some way to avoid her for a month…

"I couldn't sleep," she informed him, as if he cared. "I come out here when I can't sleep. It's the most sky I'm allowed to see, but it's beautiful."

The words caught Hiei's attention. He knew she wasn't allowed to be seen by outsiders, at least before the party, but was she stuck in the palace? Were her best friends the open windows that she could stick her head out of and breath fresh air? Or the several old servants roaming the halls?

He pitied her, nothing more.

"There's nothing beautiful about the sky," Hiei said flatly.

"Of course there is. You're just too blind to see it."

Hiei laughed to himself about the irony. He had two perfectly functioning eyes that could make out the tiniest detail from far away, and a Jagan Eye, which allowed him to see what he wanted--And the princess belittled him and called him blind! Her condescending tone frustrated Hiei. She didn't know anything about him, yet she preached to him when he didn't want to be around her. If anything, _she_ was blind. All she did was talk, and she couldn't see that Hiei didn't want to listen.

"It's dark and unpleasant."

"If I ever got to see it," she whispered, almost talking to herself. "I would think it to be the most spectacular thing I've ever lay eyes on."

Ignorance is bliss, Hiei decided, as he ignored her. If she believed the world outside the palace walls was _beautiful_, then she was in for a surprise. The moment she stepped outside her land's boundaries, she'd be killed.

"You don't talk much."

"Hn." Pointing out the obvious wouldn't bring the sudden miracle of a "chatty" Hiei. She was just making herself look more like an idiot in his eyes.

"I don't blame you. I have to talk a lot. It's part of my job."

"Well your damn good at it," sarcasm pierced his voice.

"I guess," the princess dangled her bare feet over the bench, staring intently at them. "I've been talking all day, after all."

"And all night," Hiei added, pulling the rope one last time. The bucket appeared, full of cool water waiting to be drunk. "Good night."

He took off before she could answer, speeding to his room.

"Good night," Itoshi mumbled. Reading him was impossible, so learning about him and getting to know him was a challenge…she loved challenges.


	5. Delusions of Horror

**Okay, so Kurama's part of plot is getting deeper! There'll be plenty more revolving around him, Hiei, and the rest of the characters. Just so you know, Hiei and Kurama's stories aren't the only important ones.**

**Anyway, after that little rant, it's a shorter chapter because I couldn't wait to put this up. **

**Hope you enjoy...  
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After almost three hours of getting sick, Kurama finally felt his stomach settling. Feiku stayed at the red-head's side the entire time, rubbing his back and holding his hair. Kurama decided that he was in debt to Feiku forever because of the miracles he worked. Hiei, on the other hand, fled the room because of the pungent smell. Kurama didn't blame him--he wished he could escape it, too. Besides, Hiei knew Kurama was in good hands and he didn't need to be babysat. And for that, Kurama was grateful.

"How are you feeling?" Feiku purred in the red-head's ear when he came back from throwing out the bucket.

"Better," Kurama smiled weakly at the awkward demon.

Kurama never considered himself a sexual being. Even as Youko, greed mainly ruled his life. Women didn't tempt him or seduce him the way they did with Yusuke, Kuwabara and even Hiei. Their flawless curves struck Kurama as beautiful, but nothing more. Of course he'd loved several demons in his past life, but Shuuichi was still a virgin. No woman, or man, had ever brushed bare skin against his body, or lingered near his lips after a kiss.

In fact, that's all Shuuichi had done--kiss. And it wasn't intense or passionate, it was just a peck. A child's kiss, nothing more. He never loved another being, or fell into a romantic relationship. Kurama was a theif, a genius, and a fighter, not a lover.

But when he made eye contact with Feiku that very moment, his heart fluttered. The gawky demon, with his large, black eyes and perfectly done hair, was _attractive_. Maybe it was the past couple of hours that were having an impact on Kurama, but whatever it was, he found himself breathing in Feiku's scent, craving more.

He licked his lips as he held eye contact with Feiku, wishing he had a better taste in his mouth.

"Is there anything else I can get you, Kurama-san?" Feiku asked, his voice bouncing with melody.

"Why did you come?"

"Well…I knew you were running low on the cold remedy I gave you a few weeks ago, so I brought some with me just in case. Wouldn't want you sick at this event! It'll be too much fun to miss out on," Feiku chirped. "Do you want the remedy now?"

"No," Kurama shook his head, breaking eye contact. The idea of putting anything in his stomach at that point made him feel queasy.

"Okay," a distorted grin appeared on Feiku's face.

Instantly, Kurama regretted the attraction he had for Feiku. Not because of his crooked smile, but because it was _Feiku_, the complete opposite of who Kumara was. Feiku was clumsy and hunched over when he walked. Even his words seemed to stumbled from his lips--sometimes they were completely indistinct. His gawky personality may be a quirk, but it was hardly what Kurama was interested…if he even _had_ an interest.

"Listen, if it's not too much to ask," Fekiu hesitated. "I was wondering if I could stay in your room. I know I don't have an invitation, but I've never been to such an extravagant event. In fact, I'm not really sure of the last time I went to a party." Feiku chuckled nervously, his face turned beet red.

"You can stay. If Hiei allows it." Kurama thought for a moment. "Don't worry about him, though. Ever since he's met Yusuke, his rough edges have smoothed. Frequently, he's been smiling, too, although he'll never admit it. So yes, you can stay. It's the least I can do for you."

"It was no trouble at all!" Feiku squeaked and sprung off Kurama's bed. "Where shall I sleep? The floor? There's no carpet, but it--"

"Take Hiei's bed for the night," Kurama nodded at the bed next to his. "He won't be back until morning."

Feiku bowed at his employer and scurried towards Hiei's bed. Kurama watched as the demon pulled the covers over his unending legs. It took him seconds before he was comfortable, and let out a satisfied sigh to announce he was. Having him around was like having a puppy dog--cute and entertaining to watch. Feiku could bounce around for hours, chatting like his life depended on it, and suddenly crash and mellow out.

Kurama wrapped himself in his blanket, sliding down until his head was on the pillow. Feiku shut the lights off, allowing Kurama to finally fall asleep. Sleep--it warmed his very heart thinking about it's comforting arms. It was bliss to Kurama, he wanted nothing more than to--

Suddenly his body rejected the idea of sleeping.

With just one cough, blood spat from Kurama's mouth, leaking onto his unexpecting hand. The red-head immediately sat up, gasping at the lack of air. He covered his mouth and coughed more, spewing blood from his perfect lips. He felt like his body was imploding, crushing the air in his lungs as more blood leaked from his mouth.

'What in Hell is going on?' he tried to deliberate desperately, keeping his shaking hands over his mouth.

"Kurama-san, are you alright?" Feiku switched the light on.

It wasn't just his hands that were stained. His chest and the blanket were covered in blood. He coughed again, desperately trying to get air in his lungs, but blood continuously splattered across his body.

Everything suddenly grew hazy. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and Kurama wondered if he would die. He'd experienced it before: death. It wasn't too bad, but he didn't want to leave--not this way. A faded outline appeared in front of him, pushing him onto his back. Everything was so slow, like a dream. Kurama suddenly wanted to smile.

Something pounded on his chest.

'Stop,' Kurama begged the figure. 'Don't waste your energy. I'm okay, I swear.'

Another pound.

'You're not going to get anywhere,' Kurama informed him.

Suddenly, his entire body was warm, pulsing from a devilish being that Kurama recognized from his worst nightmares. Delusions of grandeur--or quite the opposite. He could hear someone calling his name, moaning that he would be okay, but it wasn't the same person that's energy was running through his veins. No…that person was dead, gone forever.

Kurama knew it for sure. He killed him, after all.

Every inch of his body was burning from the passion pumping through his veins. Mourning and sadness filled his being--but there was something else. Thrill? Was his death being enjoyed? There was no doubt in Kurama's mind…

And then, Feiku's face appeared.

Kurama wiped his blood-stained mouth, sitting up in his bed. "What the hell just happened?" he murmured.

"I--I think you died," Feiku stammered.

Kurama's emerald eyes snapped in Feiku's direction. "You saved me? Again?"

Feiku nodded his head up and down, his eyes bulging from fright.

Kurama didn't even know how to react. He lived for thousands of years, yet he'd never experienced anything like what just happened. His near-death experience carried him into this exhausting, bizarre dream land that couldn't be explained with logic. And Feiku, who fumbled with his fingers as Kurama stared at him in wonder, was nothing less than a guardian angel. Whatever was going on with Shuuichi's body, Kurama would fix it with the demon's help.

"Thank you," Kurama breathed, wiping blood from his trembling hands.

Feiku looked up from his fingers, forcing a smile. "I wouldn't know what to do if you died."

"What do you mean? Because of the job?"

"No," Feiku brought his thumb up to Kurama's mouth, smearing the blood from his lips. "I would just--be lost."

With that, Feiku bent close to Kurama's face, his lips lingering close to Kurama's. The red-head felt his body freeze. The night had become too much for even the infamous kitsune thief to handle; a near death experience and now his trustworthy assistant was coming onto him.

But, as Kurama breathed in Feiku's scent, he realized that he desired more. The centimeters separating the two tortured Kurama. Feiku's giant black eyes patiently held Kurama's gaze, waiting for him to make his move. Maybe this was why Kurama was never attracted to the idea of love--too many choices and too much pressure. He relied on himself and no one else, but with love it gave him the opportunity to have a shoulder to lean on--and option that never appealed to Kurama.

A sensation tingled at Kurama's lips as Feiku closed the gap even more. Usually, Kurama was so organized and had plans well thought out. Even when he was caught off guard, he could pick himself back off his feet in a matter of seconds. Yet, there he was, staring right into a situation that _should_ be easy to figure out, stiffened at the fright of making the wrong move.

Kurama wondered if this sickness, whatever it was, was tearing him apart. He couldn't even figure out something as simple as brushing lips against the awaiting demon's. It should be simple, he told himself over and over. But no true decision lay itself before him.

Maybe, just maybe, Kurama wouldn't act on a well-thought out plan, but follow the impulse coursing through his veins…

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**Yes, that's right, KuramaxOC. But hey, who said there was anything wrong with Kurama having a male lover besides Hiei? More to come soon.  
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	6. First Test

**In this chapter, more of the plot is falling into place, and not just with Hiei and Kurama. So read on, because it's the start of Yukina, Yusuke and Keiko's stories! Enjoy!**

**Oh, and thanks, YYHALILING for the review! Now I know someone's actually reading this. You brightened my Christmas!**

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**Yukina perched herself on the windowsill, hoping to get a better view of the palace grounds. Her husband had sprawled himself across the bed, then proceeded to snore as loud as he could. Although most people found Kuwabara's constant need to make noise irritating, Yukina admired it. He could talk and talk, and listening made Yukina more than content. Even his snoring had become a lullaby to her.

The Makai wind slammed itself against the castle, whistling as it passed by. She'd been there for almost a week, and somehow she'd managed to confine herself to her room, except when she was with Keiko or in the giant ball room. And she'd only spent a few hours of her time with both.

With a shaky finger, she touched the gated window.

"_Ah, little demon girl," __Tarukane sneered. "I would not touch that if I were you. It's a special charm that hurts Koorime's when they make contact with it. Don't hurt yourself--"_

_The bald man suddenly stopped himself, a twisted smile appeared on his face. "Or you can. Whatever will make you cry those beautiful gems."_

Yukina yanked her hand away from the window, cradling her arm. The memories of Tarukane's torturous prison imprinted themselves in the four corners of her mind, flashing whenever they wanted. All those nights she spent alone and scared, with only the birds to rely on for company. And those terrible Torugo brothers even took them away, too.

She squeezed her eyes closed, trying to forget the birds' cry for help as Elder Torugo crushed them in his _disgusting_ hands.

"Yukina?" Kuwabara grumbled from the bed, startling the weary Koorime. "Why are you at the window?" "I was thinking," she murmured, stepping from the windowsill. "Go back to bed. I'll be there in a minute."

Kuwabara was already dormant before she could finish her sentence, snoring softly.

She was glad she met Kuwabara, and she hoped their life together would be long. So many considered a demon and human couple forbidden, but their opinions didn't matter. Kuwabara made her happy and she him.

A sudden thought popped into her head. In less than a week, she would be exactly one-hundred years old. One hundred years since she'd last seen her mother--or her brother. She knew he was out there, somewhere, watching over her, but her hopes of finding him had died years ago. Obviously, he didn't _want_ to be found. Obviously she'd done something wrong, or else he would've revealed himself. No matter how much she prayed to speak to him, every night she went to bed with a deeper hole in her heart.

* * *

"Oy, Keiko," Yusuke peaked his head into the room. "What are you doing? The contest is starting soon and I want to get good seats."

"I'm coming," Keiko called, sticking sunglasses onto her face. "How do I look?"

Yusuke admired his long time girlfriend for a few moments. Her long legs were bare, running up to a pair of over-alls, cut to be shorts, over a white t-shirt. She was spectacular to look at, no matter how much of a nag she was. And she was all his. He smiled to himself, remembering their first kiss: the kiss of life. And she'd become his life, which Yusuke had absolutely no problem with.

"You look _okay_," Yusuke grinned, holding his hand out. "Now come on, woman! Before we sit in a shitty seat!"

Keiko suddenly turned red, throwing her hands over her mouth. Giggles came deep from deep inside her throat as she stared over Yusuke's shoulder. Yusuke turned around, only to come face to face with a half-naked Koenma.

It was quite a sight. The teenager had a towel slung over his shoulder and a smile on his face that could light up the sky. His body was skinnier than Yusuke would have thought and as pale as cotton. But that wasn't what Keiko was laughing about. Yusuke's eyes fell on Koenma's bathing suit--or lack there of.

The prince had a navy blue Speedo hugging his hips so tightly, Yusuke was sure it would explode. In fact, Yusuke was sure he himself would explode.

"What--are you--wearing?" Yusuke's eyes widened. His chest burned from holding back his laughter.

"You like it?" Koenma beamed. "The King wants someone who has great endurance, so all the contestants have to swim in the giant lake. The last to give up wins the first challenge! So, I'm ready!" With that, Koenma snapped the band of his Speedo.

Yusuke couldn't take it anymore. He howled with laughter, grabbing onto the doorframe to stop himself from falling. Koenma's face immediately fell flat and he stormed off, muttering about how ignorant humans were.

"Oh dear," Keiko giggled behind the Spirit Detective. "This is going to be interesting."

Through his hysterical fit, Yusuke somehow managed to pull his girlfriend close to him and kiss her cheek. Her familiar scent penetrated his nose as he buried his face into her hair, trying to suppress his laughter.

* * *

"This contest doesn't even make any sense!" Itoshi stormed up the stairs leading to the highest tower in the palace. There, her, her father and her mother planned to watch the contest. That way, they would have the best view and make _sure_ no one was cheating.

"Hush," her mother hissed. "Your father is trying his best to find you a suitable mate."

"Well, he shouldn't be the one to decide," Itoshi made sure her voice was loud enough for her father to hear.

Almost instantly, her father stopped in front of her on the stair case. Her hunching figure turned to his daughter, his eyes glowing with malevolence. Itoshi suddenly regretted her words. Running her mouth in front of her father was one of the worst ideas possible. He believed he was doing what was best for her, and was too stubborn to listen to anything else, _especially_ from her.

It wasn't her fault her sister chose a terrible mate…

"I am not deciding for you," he snarled weakly. "This contest is for your benefit and that alone. You will meet a nice man who will help you rule the Southlands well. You can not decide who will run _my_ country on your own."

Anger pulsed through Itoshi's veins as they climbed the stairs further. None of her siblings, dead or alive, had to deal with this. Yet there was Itoshi, following her father to watch a silly contest so he could choose her husband. Suddenly, marrying a beggar didn't sound so bad.

The tallest tower of the palace loomed over the spectators below, waiting for the contest to start. King Daifuki stepped out onto the balcony and clapped his hands together. The sound thundered across the lands, causing the spectators to fall silent. Once he was sure there was no sounds, King Daifuki addressed the crowd.

"Welcome to the first day of the contest!"

The crowd suddenly roared below them. The King held up his hands, silencing them once again.

"Thank you all for coming. As you may know, this test is for endurance. A good king, and a good husband, has a long journey ahead of him and he needs to be able to hold on for the ride. The last man to stay afloat proves that he can face a struggle and break though it, holding on for as long as he can. Now, contestants at the ready! And, BEGIN!"

Itoshi ran to the balcony's ledge, leaning over to watch all the men fighting for her hand dive. The water looked icy, and she wondered how long she herself would last. She felt sorry for the men throwing themselves at the mercy of the contest. Once a winner was pick, she would no instantly fall for him--if she ever did. Their relationship would be the winning trophy. And the trophy, she was sure, would eventually rust or break.

"Come away from the edge," her father demanded. "You're not decently dressed."

Itoshi pouted as she stepped away from the ledge, moving back towards the shadows of the castle.

She didn't want this. She didn't want men dragging at her feet or asking her to dance. She wanted to jump off the balcony and let the wind take her across the Southland boarders into Makai's waiting arms. And when the wind finally settled, she would stay with whoever's lap she landed on--and they would be happy like her sister and her mate.

* * *

"Well, this is stupid," Yusuke peered over the heads in front of him. "They're just floating there, not touching each other. Are they not allowed to hit each other? KILL HIM KOENMA! PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE!"

"Baka!" Kuwabara snatched Yusuke's hair and yanked him back onto his seat. "This isn't a _tournament_, remember?"

"Then what the Hell are we watching this for?" Yusuke stood up. "Let me know when Koenma gives in. I'm going to find food."

Yusuke pushed through his row, shouting "watch it," at every person in his way. Keiko sprang up and immediately followed him, apologizing for her loud mouth boyfriend.

Kuwabara turned to Kurama, who hadn't told anyone about what had taken place a few nights ago. "Nice day, eh?" Kuwabara beamed. Kurama nodded and turned to Feiku.

"Can you get me water?" he asked hoarsely. Although he'd been feeling better since his near-death experience, he'd suddenly lost his voice last night. Feiku immediately jumped up and scurried away.

Kurama had decided against kissing Feiku a few nights ago. He figured there was no point in complicating a relationship that was so simple. Feiku, who was appalled at first by the rejection, understood Kurama's explanation and apologized for the advance. He confessed to Kurama that the first time he laid eyes on the red-head, he thought he was the most beautiful creature in all of Makai. Even after months of telling himself over and over nothing would happen, Feiku couldn't ignore his feelings. And when Kurama asked what he wanted to do about it, Feiku simply shrugged and replied "continue to be your assistant. It's an honor working for you."

Kurama touched his scratchy throat, wondering if he should go to a ninth doctor. But what would happen if the ninth doctor said there was nothing wrong with him? Kurama coughed up blood, yet what would the doctor do? Only Feiku's remedy ever helped, and it's effects were wearing off.

"Do you think Yusuke and Keiko are going to tie the knot soon?" Kuwabara suddenly asked. "I don't want to keep being the only married guy. I mean, there's nothing _wrong_ with being married to Yukina. I have announced my love for her to the heavens thousands of times, and I would do it anywhere else!"

Kurama couldn't help but smile at Kuwabara's enthusiasm. Every day married to Yukina for Kuwabara was like a special honor, and he made sure everyone around him knew it. But, Kurama could understand how being the only married man could get lonesome.

"I'm not sure when or if they will," the red-head's voice was barely a whisper. "I think Yusuke is afraid if they get married, their relationship would be damaged by his work. For Keiko, marriage isn't just seeing her husband once every few days. He wants to please her, and if they get married, she'll have expectations he won't be able to fulfill."

Kuwabara stared wide-eyed at Kurama. "You don't sound too good. That cold of yours getting worse?"

"No actually," Kurama smiled. "I think it's getting better."

He let his mind wander back to the moments he thought he was going to die. When that warm, pulsing life suddenly invaded his lifeless veins. Whatever hallucinations Kurama was having about the sudden energy rushing through his body were completely unrealistic. He was just frightened and confused, that's all. Besides, Feiku, his savior, really knew what he was doing when he transferred his spiritual energy--

'Spiritual energy?' Kurama thought. 'Demon's don't _have_ spiritual energy.'

"I got your water," Feiku sat next to the red-head, handing him a cup.

"Thank you," Kurama muttered, taking the glass cautiously.

Something wasn't right.

* * *

After only a week, Hiei was sick of the palace. Every day, he had to put on clean clothes and make himself _presentable_ for noblemen who were indifferent about his existence. But he had to maintain the dress code, or else he would be kicked out.

It wasn't even the clothes that were bothering Hiei, anyway, but the fact that he felt trapped in the walls. In Makai and even Ningenkai, Hiei roamed around freely, doing what he pleased. In the castle, he had to keep his eyes open for guards and be on full alert for that stupid, seductive princess. After the court-yard incident, Hiei had done his very best to avoid any contact with her. He didn't attend the social gatherings in the ball room or wander the halls to much.

Mostly he spent his time on the roof of the palace, resting or thinking for hours at a time. His room wasn't very private now that Kurama had his moronic assistant practically kissing his feet. He wasn't angry at Kurama, though. The red-head was sick and Feiku, whoever he was, was taking good care of him.

Her scent suddenly filled the air, knocking Hiei from his thoughts. He had let her get too close because of the distractions bouncing around in his head. There were several halls around him, but he was sure where her scent was stronger. He darted for the closest corridor on his right. The palace reminded Hiei of Maze City, except it was more frustrating. He could be walking for hours, not too sure where he was, until he ran into his room or a familiar place. As the days went on, though, he got better at figuring out the labyrinth.

Suddenly, he realized he made a mistake. He felt like slapping himself. He, a deadly thief, couldn't figure out where some puny girl's smell was coming from.

Before he could take off, he realized the princess was sobbing. She hadn't noticed him, yet, and Hiei could've used the opportunity to get out. But…he found himself pitying the tiny creature against the wall. Her face was pressed against the bricks, buried in her arms, and her torso arched forward, heaving up and down through her tears. And her legs…

It was the first time Hiei noticed her legs. They were slender and a bit too long for her body, even when they were bent, but that's not what caught his eye. There were scars slashed all across her legs, crossing each other in strange geometric shapes, popping out against her paper-thin skin. Obviously, she wasn't meant to be seen by the public. Even her hair was undone, loosely falling around her neck.

She didn't look like a princess anymore.

* * *

**So, as I said in the beginning, the plots are starting to unfold...more coming soon!  
**


	7. Angel

"Hi-Hiei?" she whimpered, wiping her eyes when she noticed the fire demon. "What are you doing up here?"

"I was going up to the roof," he said.

Her eyes shimmered with tears, glistening from the light pouring through the window next to her. Every inch of her body glowed in the sunlight, even her battered legs. She was silent, contemplating how to handle the sudden intrusion. She never took her eyes off him, though. The way she gazed at him made Hiei extremely uncomfortable. It was like her eyes were digging into his mind, learning his secrets and understanding his pain. And, somehow, he felt her pain, too.

"Oh," she tried to smile, but it wavered instantly. "I-I apologize you saw that. I don't normally…you know…cr-cry." Her voice ached as she spoke the last word, as if it was acid.

Hiei's eyes wandered down to her bare legs, which were now straight. They were actually _attractive_ legs, even with the scars. So delicate and fragile looking, but strong underneath. Even he didn't have so many scars.

"Oh!" she nearly jumped, continuing to wipe her eyes. "I'm terribly sorry about my appearance, too. No one was supposed to actually see me, because we were all the way on the balcony. And the guards are used to…this."

Her own eyes traveled down, gazing upon the scars. She put one leg behind the other, as if attempting to hide her blatant scars from Hiei, but he couldn't take his eyes off of them. They were…beautiful. They curved along her skin, pointing in every which way, telling stories of her strange past and gore.

"I should go," she muttered.

Hiei didn't say anything as she grabbed her awaiting shoes on the floor. She bent over, put on her shoes and glided upwards, standing as erect as possible. As she started to leave, Hiei couldn't help but notice how she delicately put one foot in front of the other. Every step she took seemed hesitant, as if she took the wrong one, the floor would crash below her and bury her in the castle. Her hips swayed as she took each step--a hypnotic rhythm that Hiei's blood danced to. He shook his head, forcing any sort of _ideas_ about her from his mind. She couldn't tempt or seduce him--he wouldn't allow it.

She was a princess and he was nothing…a champion of the Dark Tournament with a criminal record. Even his mother's family did not want him.

"Hn." He was acting childish, thinking about the irritating girl in that way. It was just the way she was looking at him that got him confused for that moment. He didn't feel her pain, or sympathize with her. Being around her risked her remembrance of why she knew him. Once she figured that out, he would never be allowed in the Southland's again.

It didn't matter, he told himself repeatedly. What did the Southland's have to offer him the rest of Makai didn't? A giant castle and a scarred princess? It was nothing he hadn't seen before.

So why, no matter how much he tried to fight it off, did he feel compelled to stay in the castle? He could leave any time, he knew that. What was stopping him?

Suddenly, the princess appeared down the corridor. She had removed her shoes again, and was carrying them. His crimson eyes burned as she got closer, warning her to leave him alone. Obviously, she still wasn't getting the message.

"I know we don't know each other," she mumbled, placing her shoes on the floor next to her. "But I'm begging you. Don't tell anyone you saw me. Not your friends, or guards or _especially_ my father. If he knew that someone saw me when I wasn't 'decent', well I'm not sure what he'd do. But please, I already have so much--"

"Fine," Hiei interrupted her, not wanting to hear her voice anymore.

"Thank you," she whimpered.

"Hn."

"Hn," she repeated, her face suddenly lighting up. "You like that word, don't you? So you don't have to answer people--keep them pushed away. Hn. You know, if I said anything like that in the palace, it would be frowned upon? I might even be considered a bad prin--"

"Be quiet, fool," he snapped. "Your incessant babble is not amusing, nor is it stimulating. If I wanted to listen to incoherent musings, I would talk to a lizard demon from the Eastern lands. In fact, the lizard demon would interest me more than you. Yet, I'm stuck with you. Keep your mouth shut."

The delight in her face faded as he spoke, dimming with every word. When he was finished, he was sure he'd led to her cheer's downfall. He would no longer concern himself with avoiding her, because she would avoid him. He felt victorious, content he'd finally crushed the girl to the point of silence. Now she knew he could not be seduced by her lighthearted manner. His eyes narrowed. She was certainly quiet for a long time. The silence should've been a comfort, yet Hiei felt uneasy. Her big, gold eyes stared up at him, shocked. Pain flickered in her eyes as his words continued to sink in.

Suddenly, her aura changed. Her innocent fright mutated into anger, which began to spew from her eyes. Hiei was sure for a moment he heard her snarl. The sudden change caught his interest. Like the scars on her legs, it was completely unexpected. From agony to rage in seconds--it reminded him of, well…himself.

"Who do you think you are?" she growled, her voice unusually low. Hiei froze. "This is _my_ home. I know it's my home because I haven't left it in thirty-two years. You are my guest, so I'm _nice_ to you and treat you with respect, but you spit it back in my face like I'm dirt. I don't have to talk to you or respect you. Even if we have met before, my curiosity has reached it's limit. And I do not _care_ if I _amuse_ you. I'm not here for your entertainment. And if you're going to be an ass, I'm not going to keep up my innocent act around you. You should pat yourself of the back because you're the first person to this side of me--who I truly am. So congratu-goddamn-lations, Hiei. But talk down to me again, and I won't be congratulating you--I will crush you. Not my guards, or my father, _me._"

Before he could retaliate, she snatched her shoes from the floor and tossed them out the window. Without another word, she disappeared down the corridor again. Hiei had been threatened before, but not like _that_. It was so unexpected, yet it was brilliant. Her strange conflictions were his own. She had to put on an act to hide her monster, but he never masked his. The way she treated her father must be intense. Hiei would never guess the prissy girl would have so much passion.

Suddenly, Hiei longed to snatch her from her pedistool and ravish her until they both could no longer breathe.

* * *

"It's been three hours, and Koenma is still afloat!" Kuwabara announced as soon as he and Yukina walked into Yusuke's room. Yusuke jumped as they came into view, pulling anything in his sight over his boxers for coverage. "He's not even kicking and screaming. Who knew he had it in him?"

"Can't you knock!?" the almost naked Spirit Detective screamed. "I could've been naked!"

"Get over it!" Kuwabara boomed. "Anyway, there are only seven contestants left. These guys are really pathetic…"

"I can't swim," Yukina pointed out.

Kuwabara threw his arm around her shoulder. "That doesn't mean your pathetic! At least your not entering a contest to marry someone. You have the best husband of all time!" Yukina giggled as Kuwabara embraced her.

"Sick," Yusuke stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Is Koenma getting tired?"

"Of course he is! He's been in there for three hours--and he's not exactly in tip-top shape. Everyone else seems pretty exhausted, too. Maybe if you came to cheer for him he'd feel better. Botan and Keiko have been down there for a half hour, cheerleading. At first it helped, but Koenma's just a baby after all."

Yusuke wiped his sweaty cheek with the towel he was covering himself with. Keiko was furious at Yusuke for _something_ and demanded him to leave her alone. But, as far as Yusuke knew, he hadn't done anything wrong or harmful. She'd gotten mad at him several times since they'd arrived in Makai, and it wasn't just her normal annoyance. In fact, Keiko had been stuck in a weird mood for a couple of months, refusing to admit there was something wrong. Of course, that meant _everything _was wrong and Yusuke was starting to get worried. If she left him, he wouldn't know what to do…

So, absolutely no part of him wanted to go outside, throw his hands in the air and scream about how great Koenma was. But, maybe Keiko felt better after spending time with Botan. Then he could apologize for whatever it was.

"Alright," Yusuke grumbled. "Let me just put some clothes on. I'll meet you down there."

* * *

Had such a pathetic maniac really _interested_ Itoshi before? He was more than a hypocrite, he was stubborn and cruel. But…they were no different. She thought when she first met him there was something different about him, not similar to _herself_. In all her life, she'd never met another being like herself--so angry and mad at the world that even the beauty of a butterfly caused them to lash out. He was no longer a mystery to her, for he was her reflection. Accept he didn't appreciate the wonders of Makai. Then again, he wasn't locked in one building his entire life.

"Ow, dammit Anakii! That's my skin," she snarled.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Princess," her lady in waiting muttered.

"Stop calling me princess. I have a name."

"Y-yes, princess Itoshi."

Lashing out against Anakii wasn't the way to deal with her frustration, she knew that. Itoshi wondered if she was frightening Anakii the way Hiei had frightened her a week ago. It wasn't like her to be nasty to anyone, no matter how angry she was. Even her father got a cushioned and innocent version of everything she wanted to say. She wasn't a child, but she felt like one when she had to act like the goddamn angel everyone thought she was.

If she was an angel, she'd be able to fly out the open window.

Her ear twitched as someone approached her door. She opened the door before they could knock. One of her father's servants, a tiny imp with purple skin, stood shaking in her door way. "He-hello, Princess. Your father wants you to go to the lake to watch the final competitors. If your ready that is."

"Tell him I will come down in a few minutes," she sighed, brushing a soft curl hanging in front of her face from her eyes.

"Yes, your highness," the imp bowed and scurried away.

"Thank you," she murmured, before turning back to Anakaii.

She craved to slap the imp and knock some sense into him. Although she didn't know his name, she's seen him in the castle hundreds of times. He spoke frigidly and threw his body onto his knees in front of any royalty. He worshipped the nobility that walked the hall way and never relaxed for a moment when they were around. But, if she knocked some sense into him, she'd have to do it for every other jerk who ogled at her and her family.

They weren't even an impressive group of people to gawk at. Her father was too old to captivate people's interest, her mother _never_ spoke, she only smiled, and at a close inspection of the princess, she was always bored. There was no reason for anyone to admire her, especially not the purple imp.

"Are you really going to go down?" Anakii asked.

"I guess I must," Itoshi grabbed the curl that had fallen in front of her eyes again. She grabbed a pin and attached the curl into place. "Are you done with fitting the dress?"

"Almost," Anakaii smiled. "I just have to do a few more on your back, then I'll sew it. Do you have something to wear now?"

"Yes, I do." Itoshi paused for a minute. "Thank you, by the way."

"For what?"

"Just…being here. And doing all this."

"It's not problem. It's my job."

* * *

Before he could hear them, Yusuke noticed Botan and Keiko standing near the edge of the lake, cheering for Koenma. Koenma was floating close by, his entire face blue from the cold. The other contestants were spread across the lake, their teeth all chattering.

'I've been through worse,' Yusuke snickered to himself as he bound towards the lake, grinning.

"Oy, Koenma! Hanging in there!?" he called as he approached the group. Everyone except Keiko greeted him almost instantly.

"I-I-I c-c-can't feel my b-body," Koenma shivered. "I do-don't even know ho-ho-how I'm still u-up."

"Because you love the princess!" Kuwabara erupted. "And we true lovers need to _fight_ for our women! Hang in there Koenma, you will be victorious. She will be yours!"

Before Koenma could answer the giant oaf, Hiei suddenly appeared before everyone. He shifted his eyes from Yusuke to Koenma, as if deciding whether to speak. Yusuke gazed at the tiny fire demon, realizing that concern was growing on Hiei's face.

"Where'd you come from?" Kuwbara shrieked.

"Baka," Hiei hissed and finally faced Yusuke. "Yusuke, we need to talk."

Yusuke followed the small fire demon as he headed back to the castle. Something was wrong. Hiei _never_ showed any sympathy--or even emotions. Yusuke immediately assumed it was about Yukina, although she looked fine down by the lake. So what had _Hiei _stressed?

"What is it?" Yusuke finally asked. The anxiety was killing him.

Hiei stopped in his tracks, sighing before he locked his eyes on Yusuke's. "Kurama's sick. He's been better for the past few days, but he still reeks of disease. I can smell it when he's sleeping, especially. His body is deteriorating and he won't listen to me. He keeps insisting he feels better and that baka assistant of his is taking care of him, but it's not enough."

"What do you mean his body is _deteriorating_?" Yusuke eyed Hiei.

"His weak human body is breaking down from the inside out. As far as his scent goes, his organs aren't rotting--yet."

Yusuke's mouth dropped open. As a Spirit Detective, death surrounded Yusuke. But it'd never touched anyone _close_ to him. And if what Hiei was saying was true, that Kurama's body might rot from the inside out, he would be death's victim…

"Well, we can't let that happen!" Yusuke practically shouted, panic singeing his voice. "What can we do?"

"He told me he's been to eight doctors. Apparently they can't smell the stink emanating from his body."

Hiei hadn't answered the question, and suddenly Yusuke was afraid to ask it again. He swallowed his fright and asked again.

Hiei stood silently, staring intently at Yusuke's eyes. It was as if he was begging Yusuke not to ask, so he wouldn't have to say it. Pain sparkled in Hiei's normally life-less eyes. Suddenly, Yusuke knew the answer.

"Is he going to die?" he swallowed.

His answer was hesitant, a flawed attempt to be optimistic. "Maybe."

"Does he know?"

"I think he does."


	8. A Game

**Sorry for the wait.**

**Anyway, there's FINALLY going to be some romance. Enjoy! xD**

* * *

Kurama pressed his cheek against his pillow. He wished Hiei was kidding, playing some sick joke on it, but Hiei lacked a sense of humor. The fire demon had told Kurama to see a doctor over and over, or at least fix his stink, but Feiku couldn't smell it. Kurama told himself Hiei was crazy, or frustrated because of the new environment.

Kurama glanced at the sleeping demon next to him. Short breaths rose in Feiku's chest. Ever since they nearly kissed, Kurama couldn't get the image out of his mind. Even his dreams twisted, lacking the horror that normally appeared. Feiku's porcelain skin was like touching silk, and he really wasn't bad to look at--

Suddenly, someone knocked at the door. Kurama instantly recognized Yusuke's ki before he poked his head it.

"Were you asleep?" he whispered, glancing at Kurama's slumbering assistant.

"No. I'm not tired. Come in," Kurama beckoned Yusuke, inviting him to sit on the bed next to him.

Yusuke plopped on the bed, sighing heavily. He rested his hands in his palms before he spoke. A feeling in Kurama's gut indicated what Yusuke was about to say. "I spoke to Hiei."

"Yes."

"Kurama--you need to do something. _We_ need to do something. What are we supposed to do, sit here and wait for you to die?" Yusuke glanced up at Kurama through his fingers. Serious conversations, especially ones like this, made Yusuke uncomfortable. His entire life was one big joke, and when the humor paused, Yusuke barely knew what to say. Kurama admired the Spirit Detective for mustering up courage to come speak to him, but the red-head already heard what Yusuke was about to say.

"I'm not going to die," Kurama reassured him. "I actually feel a lot better. I don't have any muscle pains, any fevers, and my nose isn't even running. Sometimes I'll cough, but even that's rare. Yusuke, you mustn't worry about me so much. I'm going to be fine, I promise."

"Well, I don't believe you!" Yusuke nearly shouted as he stood up. Kurama immediately glanced at Feiku, but the demon hadn't stirred. "Kurama, you need help. Hiei can smell it on you."

"Can you?"

"You know my nose isn't as sensitive as Hiei's--or even yours." Yusuke stared at the fox frustratingly, only to get a blank stare back. "Can't you smell it?"

"No. Even if it were true, I wouldn't be able to smell it. I'm sorry, Yusuke, but I strongly recommend you stop worrying. There is_ nothing_ wrong. Now, go upstairs. There's going to be a celebration for Koenma soon. I'll be up in an hour or two."

"Fine," Yusuke ran his fingers through his gelled hair. "I'll see you upstairs. Try and--don't put too much stress on your body. You just got better."

There was uncertainty in the Spirit Detective's voice, and even his steps, as he left the room. Kurama sighed and turned back to Feiku, almost surprised to see his eyes open. He'd been sound asleep, but Yusuke's uncontrollable volume had probably woken him. Feiku sat up slowly, propping himself on his elbows.

"Thanks for letting me rest in your bed," Feiku beamed.

The past few days, Kurama and Feiku's relationship had grown increasingly closer. Kurama didn't mind it--in fact, he actually enjoyed it. He looked forward to spending time with Feiku, or nightfall when he could listen to his deep breaths. And when they touched, sparks tingled Kurama's skin like small, popping bombs. Feiku had the kind of smile that made those around him feel compelled to, also.

As he stared at his assistant, Kurama wondered if he was falling for him.

"Of course," Kurama's worried expression wiped away.

"Yo-you don't think you're going to die, right?"

"No."

"Okay, good," Feiku wiggled until he was Kurama's height. "All that matters is that you're okay."

Kurama glanced away from Feiku. No, he didn't wonder if he was--he _knew_ he was. Feiku was different from any other being Kurama had ever met. He was intelligent, compassionate, funny, and gorgeous. In fact, his flaws rarely peaked their heads--and when they did, Kurama enjoyed them just as much as the rest of Feiku. He could hear his own heart beating out of his chest as Feiku stretched besides him. His bare chest heaved out, and his carved stomach sucked in. Kurama peeled his eyes from his assistant's naked torso, hoping his heart beat couldn't be heard.

"So, are you going to get ready?" Feiku smacked his lips together, rubbing his weary eyes. "I can't believe Koenma won the first test. Who knew?"

"Yeah," Kurama smirked. "It's pretty impressive."

Feiku stood up. The sheets stripped of his body, revealing his almost naked body. Even in underwear, Kurama could see the muscles cutting through his assistant's skin, throbbing from exhaustion. A gust of wind drifted through the open window, making the small hair's on Fekiu's body stand. The red-head, almost ashamed of his gawking, started to whistle softly.

"Have you ever sang, Kurama?" Feiku suddenly asked.

"Not too much, why?"

"I think you'd have a beautiful voice." Feiku turned towards Kurama, leaning slightly towards him. The tension between them bubbled under Kurama's skin, along with inklings to close the gap. Feiku bit his finger nails as he continued, speaking softly. "I mean, I _kn-know_ you'd have a beautiful voice. Everything about you is bea--I'm sorry."

The yearning had almost become unbearable. Kurama bit his lip, realizing that he had no reason to ignore his desires. "You don't have to apologize," Kurama inched towards Feiku. He immediately sensed Feiku's anxiety as he lifted his head, parting his lips. Feiku's normally sparkling eyes suddenly faded to a sensual expression. "Don't be ashamed about my feelings--I'm not ashamed of mine."

Kurama pressed his lips against Feiku, who immediately embraced the kiss. The demon ran his hands through Kurama's hair, entangling his fingers and pulling him closer. Feiku's lips were warm, much warmer than Kurama expected. Kurama embraced Feiku, clutching his body. The kiss was sensual, leaving Kurama wanting more. As Kurama pulled away, he couldn't help but notice Feiku's lingering, puckered lips. Like Kurama, Feiku didn't want it to end.

And maybe--Kurama wouldn't let it.

He yanked the back of Feiku's neck, crushing their lips back together. A soft moan escaped Feiku's throat, building Kurama's desire for the demon more.

* * *

"Did you talk to Kurama?" Hiei muttered, preventing the rest of the group from hearing him.

"Yes," Yusuke sighed.

"And?"

"I don't really think we can do much at this point."

"Hn."

The group, including Hiei, Yusuke, Botan, Kuwbara, Yukina and Keiko, headed into the giant ballroom. The lights were dimmed and some flickered against the brick walls. Most of the guests were already inside, waiting for the King to present the winner of the first contest--Koenma. The excited buzzing escalated as the lights suddenly fell black and only a few lights, pointed towards the raised part of the room where the thrones were located, raised.

"Good evening, my honored guests!" King Daifuki boomed. "As you all know, today's test was fairly easy, but there could only be one winner. I would like you all to welcome Koenma, son of King Enma! Staying afloat for nearly five hours, Koenma has earned the honor of being my daughter's escort for tonight. So, congratulations Koenma!"

The entire room burst into applause as Koenma sheepishly stepped next to the King, holding Princess Itoshi's hand delicately. Although her smile seemed bright, Hiei immediately recognized her weary gaze. After that morning's performance, Hiei doubted he was the first person the Princess wanted to see.

Before he could turn away, he spotted Kurama walking into the room with Feiku stumbling to keep up. The fox's long strides were graceful as he beamed at the fire demon. Feiku eyed Kurama, seeming more interested in him than normal. Even his fingers seemed to drift towards Kurama, intrigued by the red-head's presence. Hiei raised his eyebrow at Kurama's assistant as they finally reached the group.

"Did I miss anything?" Kurama asked.

"The King introduced Koenma," Yusuke eyed Kurama cautiously.

"Was Koenma nervous?" Kurama chuckled.

"Yeah, he was blushing and everything!" Kuwabara nearly shouted. "Oh hey, here he comes!"

Koenma, with his chest puffed out, led Itoshi over to the group. His confidence boosted as he got closer, and his smile widened. "Hello, gentlemen and ladies," he said as he got closer. His voice was obviously deeper. "You all know the lovely Princess Itoshi, right?"

Kuwabara muttered to Yusuke under his breath, "He's talking out of his ass." The two began to snicker, immediately earning a death stare from Koenma.

"Yeah, we've met!" Keiko exclaimed, bowing deeply towards the Princess. Itoshi responded, keeping the weary smile planted on her face.

"It's very nice to see you all again." Her voice pained with excitement. Hiei nearly sneered at the thought of bothering her so much. Her pain just made her all the more attractive to him, though. He didn't care how twisted it was; their new war almost turned him on.

However, she faced him, her eyes suddenly glowing with intensity. "Your name is Hiei, right? I feel like I've seen you around the castle more than the others. You're like a_ little_ explorer!" Itoshi exclaimed. Hiei realized what she was doing--trying to talk down to him. Belittle him in front of his friends. He narrowed his eyes, and as he remained as calm as possible, he enjoyed every moment of the battle. "Have you found the castle fits your curious needs?"

"Hn." Hiei answered.

"Hiei," Botan hissed. "Don't be so rude. She's asking a question. I'm sorry about Hiei, he hasn't _learned his manners_." Hiei glowered at the blue haired ferry girl, who he figured should have no part in the conversation. The princess was a liar and a fake. She wasn't innocent or naïve--she was passionate and fiery. Although his respect (and interest) for her grew, he refused to let her win.

"There's not much to explore," Hiei stated.

"How do you mean?" the Princess purred. She was asking for more…waiting to see how his retaliation would lead him to embarrassing himself.

"It's a small castle."

"On the contrary, I happened to think it's very large," the Princess laughed. The entire group joined in--a chorus of laughter surrounded the fire demon.

He tried not to smirk as he chose his next words carefully. "What I mean is, although it's a large building, it doesn't compare to the vast world of Makai. I can't find some place comfortable where I can look upon my surroundings. It's very--suffocating."

That did it. Her mocking grin twisted into horror as each word hit her like a slap in the face. Hiei glanced down at her shaking fingertips. Her beautiful features all resembled a defeated being. He was triumphant.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to use the restroom," she murmured. With that, she turned on her heel and scurried away.

"What the hell did you just do?" Koenma hissed, towering over Hiei. The fire demon stood his ground, staring up at the teenager. "Why would you say something like that?"

"I didn't mean to insult the idiot," Hiei lied.

"She's not an idiot! And of course you insulted her, you just bad mouthed her _home_. If someone said something like that about where you lived, I think you would be outraged. When she comes back, you should apologize."

Hiei scoffed--apologize. He rarely apologized to Kurama, what made Koenma think he would to Itoshi? The pest, although alluring and intriguing, meant nothing to Hiei. At least not enough for him to humble himself.

* * *

Who did he think he was? Did he think he was clever? Never in her life had someone intentionally caused so much misery for Itoshi. He toyed with her emotions, enjoying every minute of it with that terrible smirk on his face. And yet, she couldn't help but notice his eyes constantly on her. His once frightening stare had softened as if he actually _enjoyed_ looking at the Princess. Maybe his cruel words meant more than trying to hurt her. Maybe…it was a game. And he had beaten her, at least for the moment.

No matter how much she wanted to spit in his face, she admired him. He suddenly seemed to enjoy having her around, especially when she retaliated against him. Maybe, just maybe, he was interested in her.

And maybe, just maybe, she felt the same way.

She glided across the dance floor, weaving her way through the crowd. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she had to go back to Koenma soon and face Hiei. This time, she was ready. She knew about his game and his fascination with winning. Talking to him, even running into him, would be much different than before--much more interesting.

Suddenly, all the lights dimmed. When the guests realized they were wandering around in the pitch black, worried voices started to escalate. Panic struck Itoshi. This black out wasn't part of the planned night. She widened her eyes, adjusting to her night vision. She silently thanked her mother's genes as she made her way to the closet crowd. Screams echoed off the walls as people desperately tried to figure out what was going on.

Her father's voice suddenly boomed, telling everyone to calm down, but no one seemed to hear him. Itoshi saw guards running around, scanning the crowd for signs of danger. From the way most of them were walking, they couldn't see either. Most of the beings in the room frantically grabbed each other, continuing to scream.

The pandemonium drove Itoshi crazy. All the noises and moans were too much to listen to. She took a step back from the crowd, deciding it would be best to go to her father.

However, someone grabbed her arm. The princess figured it was a bystander, frightened beyond belief from the odd black out. She turned to meet the arm's master, only to find the man wasn't scared at all. In fact, from what she could see through the dark, he was sneering.

"Who ar--"

Before she could finish the question, he pressed a cloth with a foul smell against her mouth. The next few seconds became slow pulses. She felt her knees giving in and her eyes rolling to the back of her head. She attempted to reach into her dress and pull the hidden knife out, but her arms refused to budge. Her entire body was falling into darkness, and only one odd thought came into her nearly unconscious mind.

"Please, Hiei, help me."

Suddenly, everything went black.

* * *

**Next chapter will have some action, finally. I'll update as soon as possible.**

**Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think! Reviews are very much appreciated.  
**


	9. Prince Charming's Nightmare

A black out? Koenma hung his head. Just when he finally gets his chance to spend time with the Princess, there's a black and. And she wasn't even next to him so he could comfort her! How typical. Koenma sighed at his awful luck and reached out in front of him. Somehow, it was impossible to see. It was like someone turned off the lights and the sun. His fingers grazed against what he could only hope was one of his friend's hair.

"Cut it out, Koenma!" Yusuke snapped. "Just because you can't see anything, it doesn't give you an excuse to grope people."

Koenma yanked his arm back, inching towards the Spirit Detective as he did. "Then how did you know it was me? Maybe it was Kuwabara."

"Because I know what you smell like, and your hand was in my face," Yusuke growled. "Now lets get go find the lights. Kurama, can you see?"

"Yes."

"Good, lead the way!"

Koenma put his arm on Yusuke's shoulder, following him as he shuffled through the crowd of panicking people. Why was everyone so frantic? Koenma always thought most demons could see in the dark. Maybe these really were the wimpy demons of Makai. Wow—a room full of pathetic demons. Koenma almost chuckled.

Suddenly, the line stopped. Koenma bumped into Yusuke, causing a domino effect. Thankfully, they didn't fall over. Koenma could only assume Kurama held his ground. All the shouting and murmurs seemed to be drowned out by Kurama's silence.

"Oy, Kurama, what's going on?" Yusuke asked.

"Hiei ran off somewhere," Kurama announced. Fantastic. They were stuck in a pitch-black room with panicking, wimpy demons, lead by a sick fox, while a feared thief is running around, doing whatever pleases him. 'Okay,' Koenma thought to himself, 'Maybe I'm being a bit over-dramatic. I'm sure there's nothing wrong—right?'

"We should continue and turn on the lights," Kuwabara called from behind me. "Demons keep touching me and I'm starting to get really creeped out!"

A booming voice suddenly echoed through the mass hall. "Excuse me, can I have everyone's attention?" The crowd finally fell silent as the King continued. "I'm not really sure how this happened, but we're working on it. So please sit tight and don't panic. Everything is going to be okay. Please keep your voices down, and we'll continue the party shortly."

Cheers burst out from the surrounding demons mouths. Koenma cupped his hands over his ears. Why should one little black out cause such a commotion?

* * *

_'Please, Hiei. Help me.' _

Hiei recognized the voice immediately. Princess Itoshi, the fascinating, strange Princess, was calling him. He glanced around the room at panicking faces. Theirs didn't matter. Where was she? Her voice was cloudy, as if it wasn't real. For a moment, he stood confused, but he ignored it and immediately began searching for her. With the amount of other demons in the room, it was nearly impossible to track her scent. But, with careful concentration he discovered it in a far corner.

He leapt past the crowd, his eyes wide to see fully in the dark. And there, in the corner, was an open door. He halted for a moment, questioning his vision. There was never a door there, before. He was always perceptive, noticing every exit and detail about rooms he entered, and he certainly never noticed that one. No, it wasn't a mistake of his own, he decided. He didn't make mistakes.

It was closing—someone was inside. Hiei didn't hesitate any longer. Before the door could close, he inside this new room. No, it wasn't a room. It was just a long staircase, leading far underground. He turned to the demon closing the door, waiting for him to notice. How could demons be so foolish? Hiei was practically standing on top of him, but he doesn't notice.

Finally, the door closes and the demon locks it, before he turns around. The two met, face to face. Hiei's hand was already around his neck before he could speak. The pathetic demon coughed, choking in his grip. Hiei was in control—he was always in control. This demon was frightened, and he wasn't particularly strong. He tore at Hiei's skin with his claws, but barely left a mark. All Hiei could do was laugh.

"Do you know who I am?" he sneered.

"N-no," the demon managed to choke out.

Just as he spoke, his claws rapped past Hiei's sleeve and through his bandage. It slid off his arm, revealing the dragon underneath. Hiei leaned closer, his heart pumping in his ear. The moments where he was the deciding factor of life or death became an adrenaline rush for Hiei at an early age. He turned around, the demon's neck still in his hands. He could drop him, and like a twig, he would break falling down all those stairs. Killing this demon would leave Hiei in a state of bliss. It had been so long since he took a life. He wanted to savour this moment.

"When you struggle, you only make it worse for yourself. But squirm, be my guest. You're only making yourself look more pathetic. I could kill you in a second, and do you know why I haven't yet?" The demon shook his head slowly, his body trembling in Hiei's clutch. Having someone shaking in his presence again was intoxicating. Hiei brought the demon closer. A sudden burst of laughter leaked from his lips.

"You're only wasting your time," the demon whispered, hoarsely. "If it's Itoshi you're looking for, you will lose her soon enough."

Itoshi—the reason Hiei was in this strange room. He had almost forgotten. Although he didn't want this intimate moment between the pathetic demon and himself to end, he was sure he'd have other encounters like this soon enough. Until then, Itoshi was his primary objective.

He snapped the demons neck, watching the life water from his eyes. How beautiful it was—this demon dying. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and his newly twisted spine shot partially through his skin. A beautiful, clean death. Hiei smirked, dropping his body in front of the door. And with that, he continued his mission.

'Why am I saving her?' he asked himself. There was something alluring about her, Hiei could admit that. But was she worth this much energy? Even if he saved her, then what? He would deliver her back to her father and continue playing games? Hiei shook his head, wiping the smirk off his face. How strange that those games actually sounded _appealing_ to him. Her fragile body, standing in front of him, with her fiery eyes piercing through his skull. She would claw at him, spit on him. But he would just laugh. His hands would grab her waist, he would dig his claws into her hips. The two would be completely alone—and she would be all his. Maybe she would scream and cry, beg him not to. But that would only entice him more. His teeth would sink into her neck as he tore off her shirt—

He could hear grunting in the distance. He perched on a stair, remaining unmoving to listen. Yes, grunting and shallow breathing. Her scent immediately pierced his nose. He took another step and began to run. His legs pumped, matching the raging beats of his heart. Between his first kill in a long time and thoughts of having Itoshi, Hiei's adrenaline was spiking.

"Whose there?" the grunting demon called. Hiei remained in the shadows, waiting patiently for him to turn around. But, the demon didn't. He turned around, revealing the unconscious Princess draped over his arms. Hiei smirked at how frail her body was. So perfect, so beautiful—he licked his lips.

The demon got closer, placing the Princess down. He leaned her against the wall and crouched. He made his way towards Hiei, still in a strange crouched position. There was a grin on his face—one Hiei recognized from his own. But, from what Hiei sensed, he could crack this beast in a moment, just as he did his friend.

"Listen," the demon hissed. "I'll give you an ultimatum. Come out of hiding and fight me, or I'll just find you and snap your little neck."

How interesting. Hiei had just done the same thing to his friend. Hiei glanced at the unconscious Princess, debating whether or not he should just pick her up and run. But, no—this was a perfect opportunity to feed into his desires. He could kill this demon, rescue the Princess, gain her trust, then have her any way he wanted. The idea was perfect. Hiei hated the idea of being her "Prince Charming", but he knew she'd never look at him that way. He wouldn't allow her. He would make her cry again so that she never viewed him that way.

"Come out, you sniveling creep," the demon howled, laughing hysterically. "I hope you're not _afraid_."

Hiei jumped, landing behind the idiotic demon. "No," he snickered. "Are you?"

"Afraid of a midget?" the demon heckled. His face suddenly fell. With a sneer, he hissed, "There is _nothing_ frightening about you."

The demon underestimated Hiei. Idiot demon—judging strength by size. This demon had no idea who he was up against.

"I am the infamous Murone—the thief feared by demons all across Makai. And in the end, you will be on your knees begging for mercy!" Murone fingers suddenly grew, each becoming long whips. He twisted his arm, and his fingers launched towards Hiei. But, Hiei was too quick. In an instant, he appeared behind Murone, his katana pressed against his neck.

It would be easy to slit his throat and rid Murone from the world. Just as he was about to, Princess Itoshi groaned and her eyes fluttered open. That one moment of distraction was Murone's perfect opportunity. Suddenly, Hiei was thrown onto the floor. Murone's whips clutched onto his skin, tightening by the second. Hiei couldn't move his arms. His face remained indifferent as he frantically searched for his katana. It had been thrown across the room.

Panic stricken, Hiei glanced at the Princess, whose eyes were wide open. She seemed to be in shock as she absorbed the scene in front of her. Using his jagon, he thought, 'Do something, woman.' Her mouth dropped open, obviously shocked that he had invaded her mind. He knew she got the message, but she remained still. All women were idiots, but this one was the epitome of stupid. She sat there, gawking at Murone, while his fingers strangled Hiei.

It was difficult to breathe. He gasped for air. His fingers and legs had become completely numb. How could this demon be stronger than him? Using all his strength, he tried to pull his arms apart. Murone stood over, laughing. His grip tightened. Hiei wondered if his eyes would pop out. But-this would not be the end. After fighting his whole life, he would not let such a weak demon kill him.

'Don't sit there like a moron,' he hissed in Itoshi's head. Murone, luckily, hadn't noticed she was awake. And she, unluckily, was Hiei's last hope. Finally, she stood up, trembling. Her small feet didn't make a sound as she approached Murone's back. Her hand slid into her dress and she revealed a hidden small dagger.

"See, little demon, you're nothing compared to me."

"We'll see about that," Hiei snarled, waiting for Itoshi to make a move. Even if she did barely any damage, she would be Hiei's distraction. Using her as bait was a nearly perfect plan. The girl jumped, her heel plunging into Murone's back.

"What the—" Murone glanced up, only to have a dagger plunged into his eye. He howled as Itoshi landed in front of him. Hiei tore the Murone's fingers from around his body. Finally, he was in control again.

The blood rushed back to his head, allowing him to think clearly again. He leapt towards his katana, gripping its hilt. One of Murone's hands gripped the Prince, while he whipped his other hand towards Hiei. Hiei would not make a mistake again, though. Before Murone could move, Hiei's katana plunged through his head. Blood exploded, painting Hiei's face. The "feared" Murone was dead.

He landed swiftly on his feet, glancing back at the Princess. Before Hiei was able to kill Murone, he was able to damage Itoshi immensely. She lay in a pool of blood. Her stomach was completely torn open, and her eyes were closed.

Hiei approached the unconscious demon, scooping her up. He wondered if she would die before he got her upstairs. There was little feeling towards the crumpled mass in his hands now that the fire in her eyes was gone. She was nothing more than a body to Hiei, now. And if he brought her to the surface, how could explain how he knew about the door, and where she exactly was, while everyone else was panicking about the black out? Was her dying, frail body worth the possibility of being blamed. But—a part of his conscious demanded him to save her. He hated his newly discovered conscious, which he blamed entirely on Yusuke and the humans he was surrounded by. It was practically prying at his brain, becoming a migraine that he couldn't ignore. Save her, it repeated. Finally, with hesitation, he swiftly ran up the stairs, throwing open the door leading to the ballroom.

He immediately regretted his choice as he stepped into the light, revealing himself and the half-dead Princess to the public. Apparently, someone fixed the lights.


	10. The Circle

This was too much for Yukina to handle. After seeing Hiei appear through the wall, or "secret door", as the King's Captain keeps calling it, she wondered how she'd ever look at him the same. His entire body was covered in blood, but the crimson color was nothing compared to his eyes. They were a vicious color, as if his every desire had been filled and he had nothing left. He was completely satisfied, and Yukina knew why. She'd seen that look plenty of times—it meant he was victorious. And he was, as he explained later. The Princess' condition frightened her. Hiei cradled the poor girl, who had blood pouring from her stomach. It dripped down her tattered dress, staining it along the way. Instantly, Yukina knew Hiei did not hurt the Princess, and, in fact, had saved her. He was too confident in the spotlight to have done that to such a powerful figure.

Hiei barely noticed the whispers surrounding him as he headed towards the King. He passed by Yukina and the rest of them, ignoring them completely. His rescued victim moaned quietly as the two passed. Yukina couldn't help but admire Hiei and the confidence that leaked off of him. He would be blamed, she knew that already. But his strength would allow him to ignore the accusations; in fact she was sure he would snicker at their ignorance. Yukina could always predict what he'd do next. She wasn't sure why, maybe it was just intuition.

After spending years in Ningenkai, Yukina trusted her emotions and intuition more and more. Keiko always joked about "woman's intuition", but Yukina wondered if she was even technically a woman. Sure, she looked like a human girl, but she was just another demon, born and raised in Makai. Kuwabara said she was a woman, and a beautiful one at that, but Yukina couldn't help but wonder if he was in denial. After all, how could a human love a demon? She was part of a vicious world, but she couldn't be blamed. Her years trapped in the prison had brought out a softer side. She became empathetic, and when she escaped, the world seemed much more beautiful. Especially Ningenkai. There were no malicious smiles, planted on demons faces after a murderous rampage—only real smiles from real happiness.

"Hiei," she had heard Kurama whisper next to her.

Yukina glanced up at the sickly red-head. He used to be deadly and intimidating, but recently, he had grown weaker. His once emerald eyes lost their spark, and they began to fade. The pale green next to his ghostly complexion created a haunted effect that frightened Yukina. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and tell him it would be okay. Maybe if she gave him hope, he would find it himself and heal.

The Queen started bawling as soon as she saw her daughter. Pain shot through Yukina's heart. Is that what her mother looked like when her brother was thrown over the edge? The woman bent over her daughter's body, begging her to wake up. The King's large hand appeared on her shoulder and he whispered something in her ear. Voices continued to buzz through the room as demons peered to see what was going on. Their sorrow had become the demon's entertainment. Yukina pitied the parents, wishing they would leave. Instead, they gawked at their dying daughter, as if waiting for some miracle.

General Lotus, a tall, horned demon with black eyes, gracefully swept the Princess from Hiei's arms. The General frightened Yukina. His eyes were piercing, and his concerned look seemed forced. It wouldn't surprise her if he was actually indifferent to the whole situation, but putting up an act for the King's sake. He was _too_ gentle. It didn't make much sense, to dislike someone because they were too caring, but something in Yukina's gut told her not to trust him.

"Let's go," Yusuke grabbed Keiko's arm and lead her towards the scene. The group paraded across the room. Yukina clutched onto Kuwabara's arm. He was so comforting and so loyal. She rested her cheek on him as he ran his hand through her hair once. How loving he always was! Even through these panicking moments, somehow he always cheered her up. His face reflected his true understanding and caring, unlike that General. He was actually concerned for the Princess' well being—and probably Hiei's, too.

By the time they reached Hiei, General Lotus was heading towards the door. Silently, everyone followed. The Princess' blood dripped to the floor, splashing a path for them. Yukina avoided the droplets, careful not to ruin the new dress Kuwabara had bought her. He told her, two days before they left, that he wanted to spoil her rotten. Although the sentiment was nice, the words were a bit vulgar. He had laughed when she told him that sounded revolting.

They arrived in a chamber, where the brick walls had turned a sickly green from the moss. The Princess was sprawled out on a table, and Hiei was told to sit down. Yukina, along with the rest of them, watched from the corner. The comfortable, confident Hiei that had walked out of the secret door was suddenly gone. Yukina overlooked his indifferent face, staring straight into his eyes. He was full of rage; she could see it burning in his crimson orbs. The thrill of murder was no longer itching at his skull, and now he was stuck with a dying Princess and the blame.

"What happened?" the King demanded.

"I saved her," was all Hiei said.

The King and General Lotus pestered him, trying to get the true story. Yusuke even got involved, yelling at Hiei not to be an idiot and tell the truth. It was too loud, there was so much screaming. Even lovely Kuwabara began to demand Hiei to speak. Kurama just shook his head, smirking. Yukina and Kurama both knew it would take more than that to talk. Even if it meant saving his name, Hiei would never give it so easily. It was a game to him. He knew the truth and no one else did. That was his advantage, and he wanted to hang onto it.

"I'm going to go outside," Yukina whispered to Kuwabara. Her head begun to ache from all the noise. It was too much for her to handle.

* * *

"Please exit the room," General Lotus pointed out the door. "If you want, you may go upstairs with the rest of the guests. Or you can stand in the hallway—whatever is your preference, I don't care. This is none of your concern."

"None of our concern?" Yusuke almost laughed. "Hiei is our friend, and I can promise you he would never do this. He might be a jerk, but he isn't stupid enough to attempt such a crime. Believe me, I'll be his character witness!"

Idiot—always saying whatever first came to his head. Hiei knew exactly what he was doing, and he would remain in control of the situation. He didn't need Yusuke's help, he didn't need anyone's help. If and when Itoshi woke up, she would vouch for him. Until then, he wanted to test how far he could push this General. He was a strange demon, and Hiei immediately sensed anger. Anger was easy to recognize—after all, Hiei knew it so well. If he could figure out what made this General tick, he might actually entertain himself in this boring castle.

"Character witness?" General Lotus cackled.

The King smiled at Yusuke, placing his arm on his shoulder. "Listen, son, your friend will be just fine. I just want to figure out what happened to my daughter, and why someone would want to do this. I'm sure that you understand. Please, you must come with me and tell me all about Ningenkai. I've never been and I always wanted to go."

Yusuke glanced back at Hiei, hesitating before he followed the King out the door. It was just Hiei, General Lotus, the Queen and Princess Itoshi. General Lotus asked again what happened, but Hiei barely heard. The Princess' stomach was no longer bleeding. The Queen was whispering in the unconscious girl's ear, shaking her softly. Was she attempting to wake her up? Hiei kept his eyes on the two as General Lotus demanded an answer once again.

"Mo-mom?" Itoshi coughed, blood spurting from her mouth. The Queen hushed her, murmuring something else in her ear.

As if scripted, the room fell silent. General Lotus no longer pestered him, and instead watched the Princess. With shaking hands, Itoshi touched the gaping wound on her stomach. Curiosity inched up Hiei's spine as her fingers made contact with her skin. Suddenly, she let out a piercing scream. Her back arched, but her fingers never left her stomach. Her anguish was alluring. Yet, strangely, Hiei almost felt sorry for her. Sympathy, he assumed. He had only recently learned how to be sympathetic, thanks to his sister. While watching her cry, there was no doubt in his mind he actually felt sorry for her. Pathetic.

Her moans began to fade. Her stomach was closing itself up! The hole was no longer there, and only a small scar was left. Hiei watched that disappear as well. This spoiled Princess could heal her own wounds, although apparently the process was torture. His mind wandered back to the scars covering her legs. She sat up, panting. The concealed skin her dress once hid was exposed. Hiei glanced at her stomach, his eyes followed the tears down her hips and the tip of her thigh.

"Oh, Hiei," she gasped, clutching her dress. "Are you okay?"

"Hn," he replied, avoiding her eye contact.

"Can you leave us alone, please?" she asked, directing her question mainly at Lotus. For one instant, Hiei noticed hatred flash across the General's eyes. But, he obediently listened and exited the room. Itoshi's mother was a bit more hesitant, but after a quick exchange, she left. They were alone—again.

Itoshi hoped down from the table, wiping her bloody hands on her dress. Hiei couldn't help but admire her. Wrapped in tattered clothes, covered in her own blood—she looked incredible. Hiei ignored his desires, focusing on her irritating characteristics. He wanted her, but not yet. It was too soon, and he knew that the moment he had her, she would bore him. Three more weeks and he would never see her face again, so why not play with her until then?

"Thank you, Hiei," she murmured, taking a step closer towards him. Calmly, he stood from his chair. He could see passion lurking in her eyes. Only a few hours ago, she despised him. Yet, as soon as he rescued her, she was infatuated. Women were so simple, so naïve. Their emotions controlled them completely. He didn't reply; he didn't need to. He knew she would continue speaking, thanking him and groveling at his feet.

"I don't know how bu—but you heard me. How did you hear me calling for you when I didn't even speak?"

It was a good question, he gave her credit. The mystery barely crossed his mind. His jagan gave him the ability to invade other's minds, but no one had been able to get inside his head and speak to him without his consent. So how had this weak, odd Princess done it? She was full of surprises, but they barely shocked Hiei. He had no reason to be so impressed, no matter how beautiful she was.

"I don't know," he reluctantly answered.

"You risked your life for me."

"Listen, woman, I did no such thing. That demon was pathetically weak."

The Princess chuckled, placing her hand upon her chest. Her breathing had relaxed, but her chest still heaved up and down. "Is that why when I woke up, you were trapped in his clutch?"

Anger shot through his body, firing in a hiss. It was a mistake, and he wished she wouldn't discuss it. Foolish mistakes were not in his nature—and he never received help. But, unfortunately, the weak woman had saved him, as well. He turned from her and headed for the door. A hand rested on his arm, touching his Black Dragon tattoo.

Immediately, he grabbed Itoshi's wrist, turning to face her. He bent her arm behind her head, leaning close until their noses almost made contact. "Don't touch me," he hissed. Her eyes gazed up at him, those golden orbs filled with indifference. He had not bent her arm to hurt her, but she had taken this attack too calmly, as if she expected it. But she was not that clever.

"Why not?"

She was taunting him. Hiei realized he continued underestimating her. She manipulated the situation to get what she wanted, and in this case, she got it. Itoshi smiled too sweetly as Hiei let her arm go. Yes, she had him completely under control. He had no clue yet, either. After he let her arm go, he made it clear that he wanted to stay put. He lingered for only a moment, but that moment told her so much. She was winning.

"You don't have to leave," she muttered.

Although she had made the mistake of snapping, revealing anger that rested in the crevices of her heart, she would not let it happen again. Her anger captivated him, but it was not worth the risk of losing the veil she placed over everyone's head. To her subjects, her parents and the demons in the ballroom, she was nothing more than a naïve, innocent Princess who wanted to get married. Yes, they only saw what she wanted them to see. Hiei, however, saw much more. And yet he still underestimated her. There had to be something she could do to entice him and get him to fall for her. He had a morbid point of view—there must be some way she could play with that.

"Why would I want to stay?"

He was doing the same thing she was—tantalizing her, playing her. This was just a game to him, and she would be a prize. However, she would never let him win. At first, she decided, she would lead him on, thinking he was winning, but then she would turn it around and take complete control. He'd never know what hit him.

"I would like you to. I know I acted coldly towards you, but I would like to make up for it. Would you please be my escort for tomorrow's brunch? It will be me and my family's way of thanking you. We can tell your heroic story—together."

He eyed her skeptically, recognizing her act. Maybe she was being too nice. There was one thing she was certain of, he would not be easy to manipulate. After practicing on servants and her family her entire life, she had gotten quite good at it. But he wasn't like any of them. There was something so complex about him, something she recognized in herself. If they played each other's game, who would win in the end? Would losing really be that terrible?

"Hn," was all he said.

"I'm just going to assume that's a yes. Make sure you dress nicely," she chuckled. Before she scurried out of the room, she planted a quick kiss on his cheek. Yes, that would leave him thinking, positively or negatively, about her all night. And that's all she wanted.

* * *

**The next chapter will mainly involve Kurama and Keiko. Hope you enjoyed this one!  
**


	11. Falling Apart

**A/N: **Hey guys! Remember me? Uhh so it's been a year or something like that. I had to re-read the story to remember where I was going, but I remember now. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new addition! Reviews would be exceptionally lovely.  
So, read, review, and enjoy!

* * *

Keiko mindlessly trailed her fingers across her stomach. Yusuke was god knows where with god knows who. At least she received some relief from the notion that he was in the castle's walls. An unknown, close location was better than knowing exactly where he was in another dimension. Sometimes dating such a powerful part demon was exhausting. No, actually, not _sometimes_. She sighed, settling into the comfortable arm chair in the corner of the room. Too bad television wasn't necessary in Makai. The whole medieval castle awed her at first, but began to lose it's splendor after a week. All she wanted was to cuddle next to Yusuke on the love seat at their home and sip some tea.

Besides, she didn't belong in Makai, no matter how charming the castle was.

"Keiko!" Yusuke suddenly burst into the room.

She turned lazily towards her boyfriend, narrowing her eyes. His large, shimmering eyes only infuriated her more. Where had he been? "Yes, Yusuke?"

"I was looking for you."

"I'm exactly where you left me. Remember? Three hours ago, you said, 'Keiko, I'll be right back'." She sighed, pulling her knees to her chest. "Where were _you_?"

Yusuke sighed, slumping onto the bed across from her. "Eh, I was gonna check on Hiei, and I winded up meeting Kuwabara, so we grabbed a few drinks."

Typical Yusuke. She wanted to curse and scream at him. Typical freaking Yusuke. But he sat so calmly across from her, smiling dumbly. How could she be angry with him? Oh, because he was a dolt. Her anger spiked again. Then a gentle compassion for her lover waved over her. Then anger again. She suddenly threw her pillow at him.

"What?" he cocked his head. "Aw, come on, Keiko, you're not actually _pissed_ at me, are you?"

"I think I have a pretty legitimate reason to be! Yusuke, you're so irresponsible! You just abandoned me."

"But it's not like you were someone unfamiliar."

"That's not the point!"

They sat in silence for a bit. Anger seethed through Keiko, intensifying by the moment. She couldn't wait any longer; she had to tell him. He had to clean up his act before...Suddenly, he was on his knees. He tangled his fingers with hers, kissing her thigh softly.

"I love you, Keiko. You know that. Can you forgive me?"

The words sort of just flew from her mouth before she could stop herself. "I'm pregnant." The announcement silenced them both. Yusuke let go of her fingers, collapsing on his butt. Keiko waited and waited for him to say something, but he remained too stunned to comprehend words.

He would never understand the torment she suffered through the past few weeks after she found out. Every night she had vivid dreams of a demon eating her from the inside. What if it had fangs? What if blue tattoos covered it's body? She would never be able to connect with it like Yusuke would. Demons and humans shouldn't mate. If it were up to her, she would smother her love for him and say good-bye.

But she really did love him, and she really did want to make it work. Suddenly, her eyes fell on her empty fingers. Tears began to gush from her eyes. And there was Yusuke, cradling her against his chest, promising her it would all be okay.

"It's going to be great, Keiko! We're going to have a baby! Man, I hope it's a boy."

Why? So he could teach him how to fight? So both he and their child could abandon her at home without assuring her a return date? The idea frightened Keiko. She only sobbed harder into his chest. He ran soothing fingers through her hair. "Why are you crying, Keiko? This is what you've always wanted! To be a family."

She gazed up at him, wiping her eyes. "No Yusuke, I wanted to _marry_ you. You proposed to me years ago and have yet to give me a ring. Hell, you have yet to even _mention_ it again. It's like the promise meant nothing. Is that the kind of man I want raising my child?"

"_Your_ child?" Yusuke furrowed his eyebrows.

"That's not the point," Keiko sobbed. She felt the castle walls closing in on her. "I just want to go home."

"Okay, Keiko, we can go home."

"No, just _me_."

Yusuke backed away from her. Even through the glassy flm, pain lurked in his eyes. Keiko immediately hated herself for saying the words, but she had to think about her own happiness. Even if this baby winded up eating her insides or clawing her eyes, she would love it and care for it. And it didn't deserve an unreliable father like Yusuke. She would care for it so tenderly; she didn't need Yusuke.

His words were sharp and pained laced each word. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I'll leave tomorrow. My stuff will be gone by the time you get back."

"All because I didn't marry you?" He was trembling violently. "My God, Keiko, if I knew it meant this much to you, I would have taken you to a church years ago. Why didn't you ever tell me? I'll marry you now! Let's go get married! There's got to be some priest in the castle."

"It's too late, Yusuke." The words choked her. "I'm sorry."

"Keiko, you have to re-think this! This is like out of the freaking blue! Come on. Please don't drop our relationship because of some stupid thing like marriage. I've always been loyal to you and I love you so much. I just...I didn't want to become your husband because I thought your expectations about my job would change. I know it's hard that I'm never there, but Keiko, I'll work harder. I'll be home for you more. I'll be the husband you've always wanted."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep."

"You're just being hormonal."

That was the last straw. She grabbed her purse and stormed from the room. Tears stung her eyes as Yusuke called behind her, begging her to come back. But she slammed the door, stumbling out into the hall. There should have been a sense of relief, but only agony filled her chest. But it was for the best. She couldn't take the waiting anymore. She loved him, but her life couldn't revolve around him.

She knocked softly at Botan's door. The blue haired girl opened it, gazing wide-eyed at her. "Oh, Keiko, are you alright?"

"Can I stay with you for the night?"

Botan opened the door fully, allowing Keiko to step inside. Keiko's knees trembled as she leaned against the wall. Then, the story poured from her lips: His proposal, her disappointment, their constant separation, the pregnancy, her choice. She talked for hours, circling from sobbing to nearly shouting. And Botan listened intently, never uttering a word unless Keiko paused for a moment.

Finally, Keiko collapsed on the bed, exhausted from the explosion of emotions. Her chest ached and her throat felt scratchy. Botan just perched on the bed besides her, whispering comforting words. Still Keiko felt her world crumbling. Maybe it was a mistake.

Or maybe it was the best decision she ever made.

She glanced toward Botan and mumbled, "What if my baby's a demon?"

"Yusuke's demon side never appeared until his later teenage years. By that time, you'll have fully prepared him or her and it will be okay. And you _know_ you can always turn to me," Botan beamed. "What are best friends for, after all?"

"Thanks," Keiko sniffled. "I think I'm going to sleep, okay? I'm so tired."

"Alright. Good-night, Keiko. I'll take the trip back with you tomorrow."

And just like that, sleep cradled Keiko and carried her to horrifying dreams of a fatherless child.

* * *

Kurama scoured through Feiku's suitcase, searching for the remedy. Feiku left for the night and promised to return in the morning. Although Kurama had developed affections and desires for his gawky assistant, a persistent feeling gnawed at him that something was off. Feiku's spiritual energy erupted from no where. Kurama never sensed it before and Feiku never mentioned anything about it. But, suddenly, he brought Kurama back to life.

Finally, after digging through his assistant's clothes, Kurama retrieved the box of pills. Kurama tore the package open. He crushed a pill and sprinkled it in his tea. The bitter taste washed down his throat, but he could feel the nausea and headache subsiding. Plus, the aches lessened. Even if Feiku was hiding something, Kurama couldn't necessarily be angry with him. Feiku saved his life and took care of him. At that point, Kurama needed him more than he cared to admit.

Someone knocked at the door. "Coming," Kurama called and opened it.

Yusuke leaned against the frame with a frown twisted across his face. "Hey. Can I come in?"

"Of course."

Yusuke shuffled passed Kurama and sank into Hiei's bed. He glanced around the room; his eyes lingered on Feiku's open suitcase. "Where is your assistant?"

"He had to run back to get something," Kurama shrugged and perched on his own bed. He immediately knew something happened to Yusuke. Apart from his apparent silence, Yusuke's normally glittering eyes were dull and hollow. "What happened?"

And Yusuke told him. He confessed everything from Keiko's pregnacy to his obscene fear of commitment. Kurama sat silently, ignoring the horrible pains suddenly pounding through his stomach. Bubbles erupted in his esophagus and nausea ached through him. Yusuke kept going, though, attempting to suppress the obvious sorrow he felt. Kurama tried desperately to listen and be there for his friend, but he couldn't stand the pain. His vision grew fuzzy and Yusuke's voice sounded distant.

"Shit," Kurama mumbled as the ground suddenly raced toward him.

"Kurama?"

He heard Yusuke calling him, but his mouth wouldn't move. Foot steps pounded by his head and hands wrapped around his arms. Again, Yusuke called his name. A groan escaped Kurama's lips, but it was all he could do. His body was shutting down. Yusuke yelled for help. The volume ripped at Kurama's ear drums. He groaned again.

Then, everything became dream like. Without any awareness of time, Kurama fell into a deep sleep. He could hear the commotion surrounding him, but he couldn't do anything. The bitter taste of Feiku's tea lingered on his tongue; where had Feiku run off to?

Someone propped his head up. Their voices sounded warped, but Kurama recognized Hiei's too calm voice. He was saying something. Kurama groaned again. The noise pounded against his ear drum.

Then, Hiei muttered, "His heart's not beating."

But how could that be possible? Kurama could hear him so clearly. In fact, he could feel Hiei's warm touch on his neck. Then his chest. Then his wrist. Someone began to sob.

"He's dead."

_No. No! I'm not dead; I'm right here!_ Kurama attempted to call out. He just couldn't move, that was all. He wasn't dead, he _couldn't_ be dead. Who would take over his business? Feiku was great, but he wasn't competent. And God knows Hiei would want to undertake such a responsibility. _Get up! Come on!_

Kurama beat death once; he could do it again. But where was Feiku? Darkness overtook him, and a certain content feeling washed through his veins. He would be fine.

* * *

"Come on, we have to get him to a hospital!" Yusuke scooped up the red head. Tears formed at the rims of his eyes. "Please! Botan, call Koenma! Someone get help."

"Yusuke," Hiei narrowed his eyes at Kurama's limp body wrapped in Yusuke's arms. "He's dead. There's nothing we can do."

Yusuke stared down at the cold, fragile body. No air passed Kurama's parted lips. A flim glazed over his open eyes, which locked on the ceiling above them. Blood rushed from his nose. "He's not dead. He can't be." Yusuke placed him on the bed and pounded Kurama's chest with his palm. "WAKE UP!"

"Stop it, Yusuke. Don't be a fool. You're just getting yourself more upset."

Hiei tried to pull Yusuke off Kurama, but Yusuke turned around and slammed his fist into Hiei's jaw. The fire demon stumbled backwards with anger burning in his eyes. Yusuke knew he couldn't give up. Kurama couldn't die, not on his watch. He slung Kurama's body over his shoulder and ran passed the crowd forming the Kurama's room. Keiko grabbed his arm, but he shrugged her off, burst out into the hallway, and ran down the corrider.

He turned a corner and halted at the sight of an elderly woman watching him from the other side of the hall. She had drooping white feline ears perched on her head. Her chapped lips formed a thin line as her sunken green eyes wandered down to Kurama. "Come," her haggard voice called to Yusuke. He followed her as she twisted through the castle's labryinth until they reached a large, wooden door. The door creaked as she pushed it open and disappeared down a staircase encased in darkness.

Yusuke hesitated before he followed her. After a few steps, he could no longer see. He clutched Kurama's cold body until a glimmer of light ahead caught his eye. He descended farther down, halting at the bottom of the stairs. The walls were carved from a brown, earthy rock and candles hung across the platform surrounding the room. Wax dripped on the dirty floor.

The elder bustled around, throwing a few questionable items into a bowl. She mashed them together and glanced at Yusuke. "Put him on the table," she growled as she threw what looked like a small eyeball into her concoction.

Yusuke followed the instructions, carefully resting Kurama upon a long, stone table. Kurama's perfect hair fell on his shoulders. Yusuke wiped the blood staining his upper lip off. "What are you going to do?"

"Your friend not dead," she muttered. "He be poisoned."

"Poisoned?"

"I can smell it from here. He's rottin' and close to death, but he not dead." She grabbed the bowl and began to pour the foul smelling liquid into Kurama's mouth. Whatever rushed out the sides of his lips, she caught with a towel stained crimson.

Suddenly, Kurama's open eyes fluttered shut, then snapped open again.

"Holy shit!" Yusuke exclaimed, taking a step back. "Kurama?"

Then, Kurama howled. His body trembled, shaking the entire table. The older woman ensared his arms with her leathery hands. "Hold his legs!" she demanded.

Yusuke grabbed Kurama's legs. A horrible stench of rotting flesh and blood clawed at his nose. Yusuke held back the bile building up in his espophogus as Kurama's howls died into whimpers. Then, he fell silent again. His eyelids sank back and his chest rose with breath.

"What happened?" a voice called from behind Yusuke. He turned around, coming face to face with Hiei.

"Kurama's alive."

Hiei raised his eyebrow and glanced over at the red-head sprawled across the table. His nose wrinkled as the stench wafted passed him. "What's that smell?"

"That be his insides," the old woman scurried to grab a canteen. She poured an orange liquid down Kurama's throat and closed his mouth. The red-head sputtered and squirmed in her grip, but eventually, he relaxed again. "The man who poisoned your friend know what he doin'. This be a special toxin, one that takes a long time to spread. But when it does, you friend might as well be a zombie. I'm surprised his heart even beating from the way he smell. He be a fighter."

"Who the hell would poison Kurama?" Yusuke growled. "He's done _nothing_ to anyone."

"That not be my job to know."

The old woman picked up a black powder, tore open Kurama's shirt, and sprinkled it across his chest. It sizzled as it touched his skin, burrowing under his flesh. Yusuke's hands flew over his mouth to prevent himself from throwing up. Kurama groaned and bit his lip, but didn't struggle.

"Feiku," Hiei suddenly growled. "It must have been him. Feiku started to work for him around the time Kurama's symptoms appeared."

"But Kurama trusted him. Kurama's not an idiot, Hiei."

"Feiku seduced him. I can smell him all over Kurama."

Hiei glowered at the floor. "Don't let him near Kurama. And search his stuff."

The older woman's eyes flickered towards Hiei. "Do you know what Alisbasiss is?" Hiei shook his head. "A black mushroom, one that's poisonous to most beings. Your friend be needin' it, though. It is the only counter to this poison, and it grow deep within Takai Forest. Do you know where Pikan Swamp be?"

"Yes."

"It grow there. It look like normal black mushroom, but when you break it open, it secrete white liquid. Don't eat it, but bring me a sac full. That and some sleep will be the only way your friend survive."

Yusuke could tell Hiei didn't trust the woman. He couldn't blame him, but what other choice did they have? Somehow, she brought Kurama back from the dead-or at least made his heart beat again. At the point, they needed guidance. "I'll get it," Yusuke offered.

"No. You don't know Takai Forest. You'll get lost. I'll get it. Make sure Feiku doesn't come near Kurama." With that, Hiei disappeared up the stairs, leaving Yusuke alone with the woman.

She placed her hands on Kurama's chest. A strange glow secreted from her fingers and she shut her eyes, mumbling something under her voice. Yusuke leaned against the wall, watching as Kurama coughed, spewing up a black liquid. It trickled down his cheek to his chin and stained his porcelain skin. Yusuke picked up the crimson towel the woman had dropped on the ground and wiped Kurama's face. A small smile spread across Kurama's lips.

"Yusuke?" he murmured.

"Don't be talkin'. You strain yourself," the woman demanded. Kurama glanced towards her. His emerald eyes shimmered with exhaustion.

"You'll be fine, Kurama. Hiei's just grabbing you something to fix you."

Kurama nodded. Pain lurked deep in his eyes as the old woman sprinkled more black powder across his skin. Yusuke sat back, placing a soothing hand on Kurama's suddenly burning forehead. "You're gonna be alright, man. I'll make sure of that."

"Do you know where Feiku is?" Kurama's voice was so weak that it even pained Yusuke to hear him speak.

Yusuke didn't have the heart to tell him that Hiei assumed Feiku was responsible for Kurama's sickness. How could he bring bad news to his already wounded friend? He could never kick someone while they're down, especially not Kurama. The only other time Yusuke had witnessed Kurama so wounded, physically and mentally, was after his fight with Karasue. A few times, he caught Kurama trembling at Karasue's name. It mustn't have only been the fight which scarred Kurama so much. He was stronger than that.

"Just rest, alright? You'll be better in no time."

* * *

**A/N: **Yay! A new chapter! The more reviews, the faster the updates! I hope you guys enjoyed the new chapter and I hope that I can continue o.O. Okay...well, until next chapter!


	12. Bound

Hiei raced through the halls, searching for the nearest exit, but the castle was a brick coated labyrinth, draped with velvet curtains and detailed portraits of stern, frowning demons. It irked him how he passed no one in the halls considering the amount of guests currently residing there. The second sun peeked from behind the horizon, indicating that servants should have been bustling around to begin the day. Hiei never ceased his pace, though, even after passing the rows upon rows of closed bedroom doors and silent servants corridors.

None of it mattered, though. He had a mission, he had to save Kurama. Although he would never admit it, he received no greater glory than the sweeping pride that erupted after helping his friends. Hell, he hated even admitting he cared about anyone else. It was a sign of weakness, a vulnerability that allowed any bystander to tear through him like a fallen leaf. A vulnerability his old band of thieves would have wished to take advantage of. He narrowed his eyes, turning another corner to yet another row of doors.

It was pointless. He had to stop and think. He slowed and began to round one last corner, a bit hesitant to stop. But he needed to sit for a moment and reroute his path. Just as he turned, something beside his need to figure out a new path stopped him. His heart jumped frantically in his chest, lunging up to his throat. His lips parted, but no words escaped.

There, dangling in mid air was Anakii, the Princess' servant. Hiei had only seen her a few times, but he recognized the horns perched on her shoulders and the wispy golden hair, which was now matted and stained with blood. Black ribbons were wrapped around her naked torso and attached to the ceiling and walls around her, holding her up in a satin spider web. Her skin was a pale pearl white around the ribbons and a sickly yellow everywhere else. Crimson tears rolled from the gaping wounds strewn across her body, leaking down her torso and legs and dripping to the pool of blood on the floor. Hiei's gaze trailed from her bare pointed toes up to her arms, which were stretched above her, then back down to the gaping sockets where her eyes once were. Her mouth was dangling open with something perched between her lips. It took Hiei a moment to realize an eyeball was gazing at him through her teeth.

Nausea swept over him. He stumbled backward and bashed into the wall. The stone from the wall scraped his bare arm, tearing his skin open, but he hardly noticed. He couldn't feel his feet. Anakii, if he could even call her that anymore, kept her black sockets locked on him. For a moment he was sure he would be sick. He had seen mutilated bodies before, smelt burning flesh as he burned into another demon's skin, but it had been a long time since he stumbled across something so horrible. He knew he needed to run, take off before anyone showed up, but his feet were numb and he was sure if he took one step he would vomit.

Then, he heard foot steps down the corridor he had just come from. He sank against the wall, trying to catch his breath. If he ran, he would look suspicious, but he couldn't stay any longer. Kurama was counting on him. He exhaled sharply, wiped the sweat from his cheek and turned to face Anakii's newest visitors.

He almost shouted when Itoshi's scent pierced his nose. She, General Lotus, and a few of his men trotted around the corner, whispering viciously at each other, when one of the guards in the front froze. The domino effect began, ending with a petrified Itoshi. General Lotus retrieved the mace hanging on his back before anyone could speak and lunged toward Hiei.

"Wh-what?" Itoshi murmured.

Hiei dodged the attack, snarling as Lotus swung again. "What the hell are you doing?" Hiei hissed.

Itoshi was shrieking at this point, struggling as one of the guards held her back from Anakii's corpse. Hiei's gaze darted from Lotus to Itoshi's tear-covered visage and back to Lotus, who took another swing at him. Hiei drew his katana, blocking the next attack. A bit unprepared for the counter, Lotus stumbled backward. Fire seized through the General's eyes as the next attack struck Hiei on the side of his temple, knocking him toward the wall. Before Hiei could recover from the blow, Lotus grabbed his wrists and tied a sharp cord which peeled into his skin.

Lotus picked Hiei up by the back of his collar, immediately receiving a kick to the cheek. He stumbled back, touching his bruised skin, and retaliated with another swing of his mace, which struck Hiei's rib cage. A loud crack sounded from Hiei's torso, rattling every nerve in his body. He trembled and sank to his knees. The blow had broken at least three of his ribs. The General's strength surpassed Hiei's; he may have been an S-Class demon.

"Why?" Hiei panted, his weakening voice subdued by Itoshi's cries.

"What I did is nothing compared to what you did to Anakii," Lotus snarled, kicking Hiei's already broken ribs. Hiei gasped as blood escaped his lips, leaking down his chin and spiraling to the floor.

"I didn't touch her," Hiei spat before Lotus hit his cheek with the mace. Hiei crumbled, falling against the wall behind him.

Right before Lotus could bring his mace upon Hiei again, Itoshi sprang from behind and clung onto his burly arm. Lotus stopped and glanced down at the Princess, who was trembling and covered in tears. She watched Hiei for a moment, then glanced back at Anakii. She fell to her knees, landing before him. "Did you do this?" she whispered.

"No."

"Th-then who did?"

"I don't know."

She placed a delicate finger on his bruised cheek. "You're a liar," she hissed and dragged a claw down the side of his cheek.

Hiei remained silent as she tore open the skin from his cheek down to his neck. The pain was nothing compared to his ribs. For a moment he found himself wishing Yusuke would randomly turn the corner, but it was hopeless. He was tending to Kurama, just as Hiei should have been.

"Why did you do it?" she breathed. Her hot breath tickled his forehead, feeling so cool next to the fever that suddenly raged within him. Yesterday they planned to attend lunch together. Today, he was sure she was preparing to kill him.

"I didn't."

"Liar!" she shrieked. Lotus placed a hand on her shoulder. She glanced up, her pouting lips supple from the tears clinging to her skin. "What?"

The game ended, and Hiei realized he was the loser. But, then again, neither of them won. Itoshi lost the only thing close to her, and he might possibly lose his life. If he died, Kurama would shortly follow and meet him and Koenma in the Spirit World. Hiei wasn't ready to spend an eternity looking upon Koenma's face every day. He shifted, pulling himself on to his knees. Itoshi didn't stop him as he raised his torso, placed one foot on the ground, and then the other. She rose, as well, meeting his gaze as they both stood up. Hiei wavered for a moment, but sent a rush of energy to his stomach, standing him up straight. He needed his strength, he relied on it. Without it, he lost all dignity and pride, and he would be nothing.

Itoshi's attention suddenly turned from Hiei back to her loving servant, who was being cut down by Lotus' guards. One leg fell limp, then the other. "We're going to need a ladder," one of the guards muttered to the other. Then, he glanced back, meeting Itoshi's gaze. Hiei watched the exchange as Itoshi's eyes wallowed in tears. The guard swooped to her side, catching her as her knees gave way. Hiei felt nauseous again, but he kept his lips pursed.

"Pl-please tell me she's not dead," Itoshi blubbered.

Hiei noted that she looked highly unattractive when she cried. Her cheeks swelled and her eyelids swallowed her eyes from view. In an odd way, her pain soothed him because he suddenly felt the need to tend to her and make her beautiful again. He shook the thoughts away, focusing back on his mission. If he ran for it, he would escape, but sneaking back into the castle to deliver the mushrooms would be tough. If only he had followed the secret passage and figured out a new way to get in.

"I'm sorry," the guard muttered, standing her with his arms placed firmly upon her shoulders. "Let me take you back to your chambers."

"No," she snarled as her eyes darted back to Hiei. She lunged her hand at his collar, gripping the fabric between her tiny fingers. She took a step toward him, her face only inches from his. "Why did you do it?"

"I'm not going to keep repeating myself. I didn't kill Anakii. If I had, I would not have been foolish enough to expose her so publicly. Whoever executed this heinous act wanted to get your attention. I do not want your attention."

Itoshi's grip tightened. "I will have you hanged," she hissed. Her eyes lit up with a malicious glow that Hiei recognized as revenge's blood lust. Suddenly, she looked beautiful again. She let go of his collar and shoved him with all her might. He barely stumbled back as she pivoted on the balls of her feet and stormed down the corridor.

"Bring him to the prison," she called behind her, her voice cracking. A guard chased after her as she disappeared behind the corner.

Hiei couldn't do anything as Lotus wrapped a gag around his lips. He ripped the burlap sack danging from his belt off and shook it out once. Right before Lotus covered Hiei's eyes with the sack, Hiei was sure he caught a small smirk spreading across Lotus' lips.

* * *

"Ah, crap," Yusuke winced as the elder woman singed the top of his hand. "What did you do that for?"

"Think of this pain," she spoke, her voice heavy with age. "as thousand times worse. That is what your friend feel now. He hurt much worse."

Yusuke glanced down at Kurama, who was lying still on the stone table. Beads of sweat rolled from his forehead down to his cheek and his pupils darted back and forth beneath his eyelids, but he never moaned nor struggled. Yusuke grabbed the sopping towel from the cold bucket of water next to Kurama and began to dab Kurama's forehead. Kurama's eyebrows furrowed, then relaxed, but he never uttered a sound. Between Keiko's promise to disappear from his life and the threat of losing Kurama, Yusuke felt utterly defeated. He wanted desperately to count on Hiei to return, but a doubt gnawed at him. He could trust Hiei, he learned that after a few years, yet the pit of doubt grew in his stomach, consuming any hope he originally felt.

Just as Yusuke began to pat Kurama's cheeks, Kurama's eyes snapped open, revealing two large emerald orbs with merely a pint point pupil in the middle. He opened his mouth and Yusuke prepared himself for a shout, but Kurama just panted. His tongue was a soft pink and his lips were cracked as if he hadn't had a drink in five days. Yusuke squeezed the damp rag, dripping some water upon Kurama's waiting tongue.

"How are you feeling?" Yusuke asked, although he wasn't sure if he was prepared for the answer.

"Alright," Kurama whispered, his voice coated with a hoarse veil. Yusuke tried to smile, but found that the corners of his lips trembled at the feeble attempt. He began to pat Kurama's cheeks again.

"Hiei's on his way to get you some medicine. Some mushrooms or something, I don't really know," Yusuke shrugged. There was a moment of silence before Yusuke added, "Kurama, do you know who did this to you? Or why someone would want to?"

"No," Kurama wheezed. "With charity," he panted before continuing, "comes power. I'm well respected."

Yusuke's lips twisted into a grimace. He wiped the red strands clinging to Kurama's forehead off his pale skin. "I just don't understand why an assassin would go through all of this trouble just to shut you down, you know? It's almost like this is a personal vendetta of sorts. Jesus, Kurama, someone must really hate you. Do you think Feiku had something to do with this?"

Pain flickered across Kurama's eyes. "No," he whispered.

"But you barely know him, Kurama. Why are you..."

"Stop," Kurama demanded, although the word came out as almost a cough. "I appreciate your concern, Yusuke, but Feiku has nothing to do with this."

"How do you _know_ that?"

Kurama fell silent, but the cross of pain and loneliness lurking in Kurama's eyes provided the answer that tore into Yusuke's heart. Kurama felt something for Feiku, something he was unable to admit. It blinded him, or maybe he couldn't accept it. Yusuke found it a bit hard to believe that Kurama could ever fall for someone, especially an awkward, skinny dweeb who could barely form a proper sentence. But Yusuke had seen the way Kurama blossomed around Feiku, as if the assistant provided him with comfort no one else could.

"He was trying to help me," Kurama murmured.

"You don't know that."

"Neither do you."

Yusuke pulled a chair up and sat down, placing his cheek against the stone. Kurama turned his neck slowly to face Yusuke with a weak smile upon his lips. "Yusuke, you don't need to concern yourself."

"Keiko left me."

Yusuke wasn't sure why the words stumbled from his lips, but they lingered before him, burning into his cheeks and eyes. How inappropriate to bring up such a trivial problem when he friend lay on his death bed. Yusuke wished he hadn't had said anything. However, a certain tension lifted between them and the smile that Kurama struggled to find before it finally settled on his lips.

"She will come back," Kurama assured him. "She adores you."

"She's also pregnant."

"Then she will definitely come back."

The smile remained on Kurama's lips as his eyes flickered closed. His lips parted and small wisps of breath escaped through the crack. Yusuke wet the towel, then dabbed Kurama's neck again. He glanced up at the older woman, who's leathery fingers twisted some purple herbs into a bowl. As she began to mash them, they secreted a yellow liquid that drenched the purple leaves. He wanted to ask her again if Kurama would survive, but the answer would remain the same. He wanted her to assure him, to comfort him, but no one would be able to do so besides Keiko and Kurama, himself. Yusuke closed his eyes, still patting Kurama's clammy skin. It was all up to Hiei, now. Yusuke prayed that the demon would hurry back.


End file.
